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GARDEN    STEPS 


A    MANUAL    FOR    THE    AMATEUR    IN 
VEGETABLE    GARDENING 


BY 
ERNEST   COBB 


SILVER,    BURDETT    AND  COMPANY 

BOSTON  NEW   YORK.  CHICAGO 


-32-1 


COPYRIGHT,  1917, 
BY  SILVER,   BURDETT  AND   COMPANY. 


.  ,     .     . .      ,,....      „      •  *  - 
;».*•.'.  -     ,  >          - 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  food  we  eat,  the  clothes  we  wear,  and  the  house 
which  shelters  us,  are  three  great  necessities  of  life.  Of 
these  three  necessities,  food  is  by  far  the  most  important. 
The  ordinary  family  plans  to  spend  a  large  part  of  the  daily 
wages  for  food.  If  times  are  bad,  we  can  live  in  smaller 
houses  and  be  very  comfortable.  We  can  wear  the  same 
clothes  twice  as  long  as  we  expected  to,  and  still  not  suffer 
from  the  cold.  But  with  food  it  is  very  different.  We 
must  constantly  provide  ourselves  with  a  nourishing  diet, 
or  our  strength  fails,  health  gives  way,  and  great  suffering 
is  the  final  result.  For  a  useful  and  happy  existence, 
nourishing  food  is  of  the  first  importance. 

During  the  past  few  years  we  have  heard  more  and  more 
complaints  about  the*  hardships  which  millions  of  people 
in  America  have  suffered  because  of  the  high  cost  of  nour- 
ishing food.  During  the  period  when  the  country  was 
young  there  was  plenty  of  food.  The  vast  fields  of  the 
South  and  West  were  covered  by  the  richest  earth,  which 
rewarded  a  small  effort  with  a  wonderful  harvest.  On  the 
plains  beyond  the  Mississippi,  millions  of  cattle  and  sheep 
wandered  and  fed  at  will,  providing  us  with  the  best  of 
meat  which  cost  little  but  the  effort  to  bring  it  to  market. 

Gradually  this  has  changed.  The  great  cattle  ranges 
are  no  more.  Villages  and  farmhouses  dot  the  prairies 
where,  a  few  years  ago,  there  was  not  even  a  fence.  The 


380627 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

fertile  fields  of  the  South  and  West  no  longer  produce  rich 
harvests  almost  unaided,  as  they  did  before.  Now  they 
must  be  fertilized  and  given  careful  culture. 

At  first  one  might  suppose  that  this  left  a  poor  prospect 
for  our  future  food  supply.  It  does  not;  the  prospect  is 
as  good  as  ever.  It  means  that  the  whole  plan  of  the 
family  in  regard  to  its  food  supply  must  be  changed. 
What  Mother  Nature  freely  provided,  almost  of  herself, 
she  will  continue  to  provide  as  bountifully  as  before,  but 
now  she  must  be  helped  in  the  work.  Hereafter  man  must 
study  the  problem  of  his  food  supply  and  must  stand  ready 
to  give  the  aid  that  Nature  needs  tp  insure  an  abundance 
of  nutritious  food. 

Americans  have  just  begun  to  understand  the  meaning 
of  the  high  cost  of  food.  For  many  years  workmen  hoped 
to  relieve  their  condition  by  demanding  higher  wages. 
Step  by  step  wages  advanced,  but  the  general  food  condi- 
tion did  not  improve.  The  larger  wages  bought  no  more 
food  than  the  small  wages  had.  Indeed,  frequently  they 
did  not  buy  so  much.  9 

The  men  on  the  farms  had  to  feed  the  men  in  the  factories 
and  in  the  cities.  As  the  farms  became  less  easy  to 
work,  and  harvests  required  greater  labor,  the  number  of 
those  in  the  factories  and  cities  who  produced  no  food  be- 
came greater.  Food  became  scarcer  and  cost  more.  Then 
the  men  in  the  factories  said,  "We  cannot  live  and  buy 
food  on  the  wages  we  get  now.  We  must  have  more 
wages." 

They  got  more  wages.  Then  the  factory  owners  had  to 
raise  the  price  of  the  shoes  and  hats  and  clothing  they 
made,  to  pay  the  higher  wages.  Soon  the  farmer  found 


INTRODUCTION  vii 

that  he  had  to  pay  more  for  everything  he  bought,  and  the 
men  he  hired  refused  to  work  unless  he  paid  them  more, 
because  their  friends  in  the  factory  were  getting  higher 
wages. 

There  was  just  one  thing  for  the  farmer  to  do  —  pay  his 
greater  expenses  and  charge  still  more  for  the  food  he 
raised.  It  is  perfectly  clear  that  it  makes  no  difference  in 
this  food  question  how  many  times  the  wages  are  raised. 
The  farmer  must  meet  the  new  expenses  each  time  and  get 
enough  more  for  his  food  to  pay  the  difference,  or  go  out  of 
business. 

What  can  be  done  to  relieve  this  situation  ?  There  is 
one  way,  and  only  one  way,  out.  The  number  of  those 
who  grow  food  must  be  greatly  increased.  All  must  join 
hands  and  help  solve  the  food  problem.  If  this  had  been 
proposed  ten  years  ago,  the  city  people  and  the  factory 
people  would  have  declared  that  they  had  no  chance  to  do 
this,  that  they  had  no  gardens  to  work,  and  no  opportunity 
to  get  any.  But  the  terrible  calamity  which  has  fallen 
upon  the  world  has  proved  all  this  untrue.  City  people 
and  factory  people  can  get  gardens  to  work  and  must  work 
them. 

Even  in  our  largest  cities  many  acres  of  ground  have 
been  found  available  for  gardens,  and  thousands,  who 
formerly  longed  for  something  interesting  to  do  through 
the  idle  hours  of  long  summer  days,  have  discovered  the 
delight  of  planting  seeds  and  sharing  in  the  miracle  of  the 
growing  and  ripening  crops.  They  are  also  learning  that 
health  and  vigor  come  through  hours  of  happy  labor  in  the 
garden.  There  is  no  pursuit  which  brings  more  blessings 
in  its  train, 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

Every  man  who  makes  two  blades  grow  where  one  grew 
before  helps  reduce  the  high  cost  of  food.  There  is  no 
other  sure  way.  In  the  small  gardens,  which  we  now  realize 
are,  after  all,  available  to  all  who  really  want  them,  enough 
can  be  grown  to  swing  the  balance  and  bring  the  cost  of 
food  within  the  earning  power  of  the  ordinary  working 
man.  This  will  relieve  the  pressure  on  the  farmer,  who 
can  produce  special  foods,  not  suitable  to  the  small  garden, 
at  a  profit  to  himself  and  at  a  price  within  the  means  of  the 
people  in  the  factories  and  cities. 

The  terrible  conditions  which  have  opened  the  eyes  of 
all  to  the  possibilities  around  them  for  gardens  and  food 
production  will  soon  pass  away,  but  the  food  problem  will 
never  pass  away.  Unless  the  more  bulky  and  perishable 
varieties  of  food  are  produced  near  home  the  same  hard- 
ships which  have  beset  the  American  people  will  return  in 
double  measure,  till  at  last  they  are  forced  to  a  full  reali- 
zation of  the  food  problem  and  how  it  may  be  solved. 

No  one,  unless  he  has  been  through  the  experience, 
knows  half  the  perplexities  which  beset  the  amateur  gar- 
dener. Bewildered  by  a  mass  of  information  in  detached  * 
form,  much  of  which  seems  to  contradict  itself,  he  finds  too 
late  that  important  steps  have  been  omitted  and  that  he 
must  wait  a  year  before  he  can  try  again,  with  the  lessons 
drawn  from  his  first  failure  as  a  guidepost  on  the  new  path. 

By  gathering  into  one  section  the  necessary  information 
regarding  the  culture  of  each  important  vegetable  for  the 
home  garden  and  arranging  it  so  that  the  amateur  may  take 
each  necessary  step  in  its  proper  turn,  guided  by  clear, 
explicit  directions,  we  have  endeavored  to  improve  the 
chances  of  his  success  greatly  and  to  save  him  from  much  of 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

the  disappointment  that  is  so  frequently  the  lot  of  be- 
ginners in  gardening. 

Since  this  movement,  like  others  of  the  same  nature, 
must  depend  for  its  final  success  upon  the  children  now  in 
school,  the  needs  of  the  classroom  and  school  garden  have 
been  kept  clearly  in  mind.  Comparatively  few  children 
enjoy  the  privilege  of  expert  guidance  in  plant  culture  and 
garden  work.  Consequently  a  text  covering  the  subject 
thoroughly  and  written  in  simple  language  which  the  child 
can  easily  understand,  will  be  found  necessary  to  success- 
ful work. 

Today  almost  every  school  is  planning  in  some  way  to 
help  solve  the  urgent  question  of  the  food  supply.  With 
Garden  Steps  in  the  hands  of  each  pupil,  the  work  may 
easily  be  made  definite  and  successful.  Instructions 
needed  in  the  early  spring,  for  planting,  indoors  and  out, 
are  fully  given.  During  the  summer  months,  when  the 
pupil  is  not  in  touch  with  his  instructor,  the  book  will 
prove  a  sufficient  guide  in  tending  the  growing  plants.  In 
the  fall,  when  the  crop  matures,  the  young  gardener  will 
find  in  Garden  Steps  what  he  needs  to  know  about  gather- 
ing and  storing  away  the  ripened  crop. 

The  author  wishes  to  gratefully  acknowledge  his  in- 
debtedness to  the  following,  for  the  use  of  illustrative 
material:  Joseph  Breck  &  Sons  ;  the  B-istol  County  Agri- 
cultural School;  R.  &  J.  Farquhar  &  Company;  Fottler, 
Fiske,  Rawson  Company ;  the  Extension  Service  of  the 
Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  at  Amherst ;  and  Miss 
Clara  Endicott  Sears,  organizer  of  the  Canning  and  Dry- 
ing Club  of  Harvard,  Massachusetts. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

I  FALL  AND  WINTER  PREPARATIONS       .         .                  i 

II  GARDEN  PLANS    .         .                                  .7 

III  FERTILIZERS          .  19 

IV  SPRAYS  .AND  POISONS  .  .                 -3° 
V  TOOLS           .                                                           .38 

VI    ASPARAGUS -47 

VII     BEANS -57 

VIII  BEETS  AND  CHARD       .        .        .        .                 -7° 

IX  THE  CABBAGE  FAMILY        ...                 -79 

X  CARROTS  AND  PARSNIPS       ...                 -94 

XI     CELERY        . .103 

XII     SWEET  CORN        . no 

XIII  CUCUMBERS 124 

XIV  LETTUCE       .  .....     134 

XV    ONIONS         .        . 142 

XVI     PEAS .150 

XVII     PEPPERS       .        . 161 

XVIII     POTATOES .164 

XIX  RADISHES     ......                 .178 

XX     RHUBARB 182 

XXI    SQUASH .187 

XXII    SPINACH 200 

XXIII  TOMATOES 202 

XXIV  TURNIPS       .        .        .         .        .  .     214 

XXV  CANNING  AND  DRYING        .        .  •      .        .        .216 

SUGGESTED  LIST  OF  SEED 226 

xi 


GARDEN    STEPS 

CHAPTER   I 

FALL  AND  WINTER  PREPARATIONS 

SECRET  OF  SUCCESS  IN  GARDENING 

SUCCESS  in  garden  work  is  not  a  matter  of  a 
single  year  of  study ;  it  is  a  matter  of  long  experi- 
ence. Very  few  beginners  ever  get  great  results 
from  the  first  season.  If,  after  the  first  sum- 
mer, with  its  struggles  and  disappointments,  the 
amateur  still  looks  forward  eagerly  to  the  next 
spring,  determined  to  turn  the  mistakes  of  the  past 
year  into  the  successes  of  the  next,  he  may  be  sure 
that  he  will  not  fail.  This  courage  to  return  to  the 
battle  with  fresh  determination  is  the  quality  which 
marks  the  line  between  big  men  and  little  men. 

So  then,  if  the  weather  has  been  unfavorable,  if 
bugs  and  blights  have  come  unexpectedly,  if  weeds 
have  crowded  in,  if  sods  have  been  heavy  and  the 
ground  hard  and  lumpy,  if  the  work  has  been  a 
tax  on  muscles  unaccustomed  to  tabor,  determine 
that  instead  of  giving  up,  you  will  turn  to  use  the 
experience  thus  gained,  so  that  next  year  the  crops 


2  GARDEN  STEPS 

shall  be  increased  and  improved.  Remember  that 
you  are  helping  to  solve  one  of  the  greatest  prob- 
lems of  the  race,  the  food  supply.  There  is  no 
better  test  of  determination  of  character  than  the 
garden.  In  the  long  run,  failure  is  impossible  to 
those  who  apply  the  qualities  needed  in  the  task. 
Nature  knows  no  favorites.  The  rain  falls  on  all 
alike,  but  the  hoe  and  the  harrow  shall  say  whether 
the  rain  waters  weeds  or  fruit. 

FALL  CARE  OF  THE  SOIL 

Many  of  the  most  important  steps  in  gardening 
must  be  taken  in  the  fall.  This  is  the  time  to  look 
over  the  land  for  next  year  and  plan  for  its  prepara- 
tion. If  you  are  to  use  land  which  is  at  present  cov- 
ered with  sod,  the  fall  is  the  time  to  plow  it  under. 
If  possible,  all  the  land  should  be  plowed  at  this 
season.  Fall  plowing  breaks  open  the  nests  of 
many  injurious  insects  that  are  wintering  in  the 
soil,  thus  greatly  reducing  their  numbers  when 
spring  comes.  It  also  makes  the  ground  more  open 
and  porous,  saves  it  from  washing  in  the  winter 
rains,  and  gives  it  more  capacity  to  hold  water  in 
case  of  a  drought  in  the  early  summer. 

An  additional  advantage  may  be  gained  at  this 
time  if  a  catch  crop  of  rye  or  clover  is  sown,  to  be 
plowed  under  in  the  spring.  When  the  ground  is 
harrowed,  scatter  about  a  quart  of  rye  or  a  half 
pint  of  clover  seed  to  the  twenty-foot  square,  and 


FALL  AND  WINTER  PREPARATIONS     3 

then  rake  it  in  with  a  wooden  rake.  These  growing 
plants  hold  the  moisture  and  keep  the  soil  in  place 
during  the  winter  and  spring  months,  and  when 
plowed  under,  add  humus  to  the  earth. 

The  gardener  should  also  make  every  effort  at 
this  season  to  get  dressing  for  the  coming  spring. 
In  the  fall,  farmers  frequently  have  dressing  to  spare, 
but  it  is  often  impossible  to  obtain  it  at  planting 
time.  Besides,  if  the  dressing  is  secured  in  the 
spring,  it  will  probably  be  lumpy,  hard  to  work 
into  the  ground,  and  most  unsatisfactory  to  handle. 

Ideal  soil  is  the  result  of  patient  toil.  Market 
gardeners  take  the  most  minute  pains  in  preparing 
the  ground  for  their  crops,  and  the  beginner  should 
take  their  practice  for  his  own.  The  author  once 
saw  men  in  France  digging  up  the  soil  from  the 
garden  into  large  carts.  These  men  were  moving 
to  a  new  place,  and,  by  the  French  law,  they  had  a 
right  to  carry  with  them  the  top  soil  of  their  little 
farm.  It  represented  years  of  patient  improvement. 
Every  stone  was  picked  out,  the  rich,  dark  earth 
was  soft  and  fine,  in  perfect  condition.  They  could 
not  afford  to  leave  it  behind. 

It  is  a  joy  to  work  in  soil  like  this,  and  of  course 
one  year  or  two  years  will  not  produce  it.  How- 
ever, careful  preparation  in  the  fall  will  make  the 
greatest  difference  the  following  spring,  and  much 
of  the  next  year's  success  depends  on  it. 

In  the  first  place,  plow  lightly,  especially  the  sod 


4  GARDEN  STEPS 

land  that  is  to  be  planted  the  next  year.  Next,  pla 
to  dig  or  plow  in  a  liberal  amount  of  dairy  or  stabl 
dressing  before  frost  comes.  In  the  spring,  when  thi 
ground  is  worked  over,  the  dressing  will  be  well  de 
cayed  and  will  make  light  and  fine  soil,  which  woul 
be  lumpy  and  heavy  if  the  work  were  done  in  th 
spring  with  fresh  manure. 

SOIL  FOR  EARLY  SEEDS 

While  putting  in  the  dressing,  remember  the  col 
frame  and  the  window  boxes.  Save  out  a  coupl 
of  barrow-loads  and  mix  it  about  half  and  half  wit 
fine  soil,  leaving  it  where  it  will  not  be  washed  to 


TOMATOES,  HANSON  LETTUCE,  AND  FRENCH  BREAKFAST  RADISH 
IN  COLD  FRAME 

The  lettuce  provided  plants  for  setting  out,  and  enough  for  eating  during  pa 
of  May  and  all  of  June.  Cold  frame  is  seven  feet  long  by  four  feet  wide.  Tl 
back  board  is  one  foot  high,  the  front  board  is  six  inches,  and  the.  side  boar< 
are  one  foot  high.  Pepper  plants,  which  do  not  show,  were  also  planted  here. 


FALL  AND  WINTER  PREPARATIONS     5 

much  by  the  rains  and  surface  water.  When  needed, 
this  will  be  suitable  for  intensive  planting.  If  the 
ground  is  likely  to  be  frozen  when  soil  is  wanted  for 
the  window  boxes,  some  of  this  earth  should  be  put 
in  a  barrel  in  the  cellar,  where  it  will  be  available 
at  any  time.  Do  not  let  this  soil  get  too  dry. 
Water  it  enough  to  keep  it  moist. 

ORDERING  GARDEN  SUPPLIES 

Besides  the  dressing,  estimate  how  much  of  other 
fertilizers,  such  as  nitrate  of  soda,  lime,  and  com- 
mercial fertilizers,  will  be  needed,  and  order  them 
now.  Fertilizer  dealers  try  to  estimate  what  the 
demand  will  be  each  year  and  do  not  mean  to  keep 
on  hand  any  surplus.  If  the  supply  is  exhausted 
in  the  spring,  those  who  waited  till  then  will  have 
to  wait  longer  still. 

The  same  rule  applies  to  tools  and  all  supplies  to 
be  ordered  from  a  distance.  One  does  not  mind 
waiting  for  a  harrow  a  month  overdue  if  that  month 
is  November ;  but  in  April,  it  is  very  different. 
Spring  always  catches  some  people  unprepared  ;  don't 
be  one  of  them. 

As  the  winter  months  come  on,  the  garden  plans 
should  be  laid  out,  and  the  necessary  seeds  listed 
and  ordered.  It  is  disappointing  in  the  spring  to 
order  seeds  which  one  is  anxious  to  try,  only  to  find 
them  sold  out. 

Window  boxes,  markers  for  garden  rows,  stakes 


6 


GARDEN  STEPS 


for  supports,  bean  poles,  all  the  little  accessories 
needed  in  the  garden,  should  be  made  during  the 
cold  weather.  The  manual  training  room  at  school 
is  an  ideal  place  in  which  to  construct  these  things. 
They  have  a  vital  interest  for  the  pupils  and  most 
of  them  are  very  easy  to  make.  When  the  garden 
rush  is  on,  there  is  little  time  for  making  these  sup- 
plies, and  one  is  glad  enough  to  have  them  ready. 

As  soon  as  the  plans  for  the  coming  spring  are 
complete,  it  will  be  time  to  begin  starting  seeds  in 
the  windows  again.  The  year  for  garden  work  really 
has  no  beginning  and  no  end. 


INSPECTING  SCHOOL  GARDENS 


CHAPTER  II 

GARDEN  PLANS 

THE  right  arrangement  of  the  various  plants  in 
the  garden,  and  the  soil  provided  for  each,  will  have 
much  to  do  with  the  final  success  of  the  little  farm. 
In  some  gardens  the  soil  is  the  same  throughout, 
and  the  only  difference  between  one  spot  and  another 
is  the  smoothness  of  the  soil  or  the  presence  of  water. 
In  most  gardens,  however,  there  are  some  spots 
richer  in  humus  and  more  suitable  for  cultivation 
than  others. 

A  SAMPLE  GARDEN 

In  the  author's  garden,  which  is  square  and 
covers  about  an  acre,  there  are  several  kinds  and 
conditions  of  soil.  In  the  southwest  corner  there 
is  a  piece  about  fifty  feet  square,  where  the  loam  is 
deep,  full  of  humus,  and  fairly  free  from  stones. 
The  soil  here  was  formerly  acid  and  heavy.  A 
dressing  of  lime,  together  with  wood  ashes  from  the 
fireplace,  has  greatly  improved  it,  however.  This  is 
now  used  as  the  "  kitchen  gardenj"  which  will  be 
described  a  little  later. 


8  GARDEN  STEPS 

North  of  this  square  there  is  a  streak  of  gravel. 
This  was  the  crown  of  a  slight  rise  in  the  ground, 
from  which  the  top  soil  has  been  washed  off  because 
of  careless  cultivation.  This  piece  would  be  useless 
for  most  plants,  but  tomatoes,  corn,  or  beans  do 
well  there.  With  plenty  of  dairy  dressing  beneath 


TURNING  OVER  THE  GROUND  WITH  A  WHEEL  PLOW 

The  plow  turns  weed  roots  up  to  the  sun,  which  kills  them.     It  also 
saves  humus  from  washing  out. 

the  hills,  squashes  also  thrive  on  this  gravel  streak. 
The  task  now  is  to  treat  this  piece  with  lime  and 
humus,  giving  it  a  very  shallow  plowing  each  year, 
till  a  top  soil  is  formed  again.  By  fall  plowing  and 
by  planting  cover  crops,  it  can  be  kept  from  washing 
away. 

•  The  rest  of  the  westerly  side  is  a  light  loam,  not 
more  than  a  foot  deep,  on  a  gravel  subsoil.  With 


GARDEN  PLANS  9 

level  cultivation  and  a  soft  surface,  potatoes  thrive 
well  here. 

In  the  center  of  the  garden,  running  north  and 
south,  is  the  rhubarb  bed,  rich  from  good  care  dur- 
ing several  years. 

East  of  the  rhubarb  bed  is  a  large  piece  of  sandy 
loam,  which  is  two  feet  deep  in  places.  It  is  all  on 
a  gravel  subsoil  and  needs  a  light  dressing  of  lime 
each  year  to  enable  it  to  retain  water.  Here  the 
asparagus  bed  is  laid  out.  Beans,  cucumbers,  and 
the  main  corn  crop  thrive  here ;  the  soil  is  also  per- 
fectly suited  to  berries  and  small  fruits. 

THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN 

The  farmer,  who  has  his  broad  acres  to  cultivate, 
usually  picks  out  some  spot  near  the  house  where  the 
earth  is  rich  and  fine,  for  a  kitchen  garden.  Here 
he  plants  the  vegetables  for  the  home  table  which 
need  special  care  and  nice  cultivation.  The  amateur, 
with  his  much  smaller  piece  of  ground,  should  fol- 
low the  same  practice. 

There  are  some  plants  that  need  a  great  deal  of 
room  to  grow  in ;  fortunately,  with  good  cultiva- 
tion, these  do  well  if  left  to  themselves.  Corn, 
tomatoes,  squashes,  and  beans  all  push  on  cheer- 
fully through  long  periods  of  dry  weather  and 
hot  sun  if  they  are  started  well.  These  are  the 
vegetables  which  may  be  planted  where  it  is  most 
convenient. 


GARDEN  PLANS  1 1 

Plants  Requiring  Special  Care.  —  There  are  other 
plants,  however,  which  will  do  little  if  they  are  not 
nursed  along  and  tended  frequently.  Such  plants  as 
lettuce,  celery,  beets,  radishes,  and  cauliflower  need 
the  finest  earth,  and  water  at  all  times,  to  keep  their 
growth  up  to  the  best.  Where  it  is  possible  to  have 
a  hose  that  will  reach  every  part  of  the  entire  gar- 
den, the  problem  is  easily  solved.  Very  few  gardens, 
however,  can  boast  the  luxury  of  a  hose.  It  is  best, 
then,  to  select  a  special  plot  of  ground  large  enough 
for  these  plants,  and  to  call  that  the  kitchen  garden. 

Root  Habits  and  Water.  —  If  we  could  watch  a 
root  as  it  works  its  way  through  the  soil,  we  should 
see  it  turn  towards  the  nearest  supply  of  water.  In 
digging  out  old  wells,  roots  of  trees  have  frequently 
been  found,  which  have  come  more  than  a  hundred 
feet  to  feed  in  the  moist  earth  near  the  well.  The 
tiny  roots  of  the  garden  plants  do  the  same  thing 
on  a  smaller  scale.  They  go  toward  the  nearest 
water,  wherever  that  may  be.  Their  natural  tend- 
ency is  to  go  down  into  the  earth,  to  seek  water 
in  the  moist  soil  below  them. 

Restilt  of  Frequent  Watering  from  Above.  —  Ap- 
plications of  water  from  a  watering  pot  seldom 
moisten  more  than  the  top  of  the  ground.  When 
the  rows  are  watered  in  the  evening  in  this  way, 
the  roots  detect  the  moist  earth  above  them  and 
turn  in  that  direction.  The  next  day,  when  the 
hot  sun  falls  on  the  plants,  the  roots  are  near  the 


12  GARDEN  STEPS 

surface  and  soon  feel  the  heat.  The  water  quickly 
evaporates,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  plants  would 
be  better  off  if  they  had  not  had  any  water  at  all, 
for  the  roots  would  then  be  well  below  the  surface, 
seeking  what  moisture  they  could  find. 

Another  bad  result  of  frequent  watering  is  the 
crust  formed  on  the  surface  of  the  soil  each  time  the 
ground  is  watered.  This  crust  enables  the  sun  to 
draw  the  water  rapidly  from  the  earth  below.  The 
only  way  to  prevent  this  evaporation  is  to  break  up 
this  crust  thoroughly  by  cultivation.  Of  course, 
frequent  water  means  frequent  cultivation  and  an 
unnecessary  increase  in  labor.  So  it  is  clear  that  if 
we  use  a  waterpot  or  a  hose  at  all,  it  is  better  to  put 
on  enough  water  to  soak  the  soil  thoroughly,  well 
below  the  plants,  once  or  twice  a  week. 

Simple  Irrigation  Plans.  -  -  There  are  very  satis- 
factory ways  of  applying  water  to  a  small  area  like 
the  kitchen  garden,  without  using  the  watering  pot 
or  hose.  One  can  irrigate  with  empty  cans,  old 
wafer  pipe,  or  tiling. 

Empty  cans,  such  as  tomato  cans  or  oil  cans, 
holding  a  quart  or  more,  may  be  sunk  in  the  rows 
every  few  feet.  Perforate  the  bottoms  and  sides, 
so  that  the  water  may  leak  through  freely.  Do  not 
sink  them  between  the  rows,  as  they  will  interfere 
with  cultivation.  Fill  these  cans  with  water  once 
a  day.  It  takes  but  a  moment  to  water  a  small 
patch  by  this  method,  and  the  water  is  admitted 


GARDEN  PLANS  13 

below    the    plants    without    forming    any    surface 
crust. 

Water  pipe,  which  has  been  used  but  is  still  strong, 
may  be  obtained  in  almost  every  town  at  a  very 
low  price.  This  makes  an  excellent  medium  for 
irrigation.  Prepare  the  pipe  you  intend  to  use  by 


IRRIGATION  PIPES 

A  pail  of  water  poured  into  these  pipes  is  worth  three  sprinkled  on  the 
plants.     It  takes  not  one  tenth  the  time  and  labor. 

boring  holes  every  foot,  about  one  fourth  of  an  inch 
in  diameter.  In  one  end  of  the  pipe  drive  a  plug. 
At  the  other  end  put  an  elbow,  and  an  upright  a 
foot  or  two  long. 

The  upright  pipe  in  the  illustration  is  a  little  too 


14  GARDEN    STEPS 

high ;  but  no  cutting  tool  was  handy,  so  it  was  left. 
The  only  objection  to  the  height  is  that  it  causes 
an  unnecessary  pressure  of  water  as  it  leaves  the 
holes,  where  it  might  wash  away  the  dirt  somewhat. 

The  pipe  required  to  water  an  ordinary  kitchen 
garden  need  not  be  very  long.  The  pipe  in  the 
illustration  is  twenty  feet,  two  lengths,  five  feet 
apart.  This  supplies  plenty  of  water  to  those  plants 
that  need  it  most.  For  a  larger  space  more  pipe 
could  be  laid,  connected  in  one  system  with  a  single 
tub  as  a  reservoir. 

When  the  ground  is  ready  to  plant,  open  a  trench 
about  a  foot  deep.  Lay  in  the  pipe  with  the  holes 
down,  so  that  the  upright  piece  stands  erect.  Then 
fill  in  the  earth  again. 

The  paint  kegs,  used  as  shown  in  the  picture, 
make  excellent  reservoirs.  For  the  inch  pipe,  a 
hole  .measuring  a  trifle  less  than  an  inch  was  bored 
in  the  bottom  of  the  keg,  which  was  then  screwed 
snugly  on  to  the  inch  pipe. 

If  two  or  three  pails  of  water  are  poured  into  these 
pipes  every  night  during  hot,  dry  weather,  the 
plants  will  be  well  supplied  with  moisture. 

A  more  expensive,  but  more  desirable,  way  to 
irrigate  is  by  means  of  porous  drainpipe.  This 
should  be  laid  in  trenches  about  a  foot  under 
the  surface,  and,  if  necessary,  will  provide  not  only 
for  irrigation  but  for  drainage.  Clay  pipe  is  used 
extensively  in  draining  fields,  as  the  water  soaks  into 


GARDEN  PLANS  15 

the  pipe  and  runs  away  from  the  land.  When  used  for 
irrigating  purposes,  the  water  is  poured  into  the  pipe  ; 
it  then  soaks  out  of  the  pipe  into  the  soil  about  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  your  garden  may  have  a  clay 
subsoil,  and,  while  needing  water  in  dry  weather, 
may  have  too  much  in  wet  weather.  Under  such 
conditions  you  can  lay  the  pipe  so  that  it  drains  to 
the  outlet.  Make  a  plug  for  the  lower  end.  In 
wet  weather  open  the  outlet  and  allow  the  surplus 
water  to  run  off.  Close  the  outlet  and  fill  the  pipe 
in  dry  weather  to  keep  moisture  about  the  plants. 

ARRANGEMENT  OF  CROPS 

Let  us  look  over  the  garden  land,  then,  and  see 
just  what  we  have.  If  part  of  it  is  full  of  gravel, 
that  may  be  set  off  for  plants  which  will  succeed 
there.  If  water  stands  on  certain  parts  of  the  land 
an  hour  or  two  after  rains,  such  places  should  be 
drained.  The  best  and  most  convenient  part  should 
be  used  for  the  kitchen  garden.  A  sheltered  place, 
on  the  south  side  of  a  fence  or  building,  will  be 
right  for  a  cold  frame.  Fertilizer  and  lime  can  be 
provided  according  to  the  needs  of  the  land.  No 
work  is  more  interesting  than  surveying  your  land 
and  planning  for  its  improvement. 

SUCCESSION  OF  CROPS 

In  many  states  the  early  crops  are  completed  in 
time  for  another  to  be  started  and  ripened  during 


i6 


GARDEN  STEPS 


the  same  season.  Early  peas,  potatoes,  and  other 
crops  that  ripen  by  the  middle  of  July,  may  be 
followed  by  beans,  late  cabbages,  cauliflower,  late 
corn,  celery,  and  other  plants,  especially  those  that 
can  be  set  out.  Sweet  corn  does  not  ripen  well  in 


COLD  FRAME,  WITH  COVER  RAISED,  TO  AlR 
AND  HARDEN  PLANTS  TO  BE  SET  OUT 

The  top  of  this  cold  frame  is  made  of  three 
double  window  sashes.  It  does  them  no  harm  if 
they  are  laid  putty  side  up. 

the  temperate  belt  if  planted  later  than  the  fourth 
of  July.  In  the  south,  the  season  is  much  longer, 
and  three  crops  can  often  be  planted  on  the  same 
land.  After  each  crop,  a  dressing  of  commercial 
fertilizer  is  the  best  preparation  for  the  next. 

ROTATION  OF  CROPS 

A  good  deal  has  been  said  of  rotation  of  crops. 
This  changing  the  location  of  crops  from  year  to 


GARDEN  PLANS  17 

year  is  much  more  important  on  the  large  farm  than 
in  the  garden.  One  five-acre  piece,  planted  to  corn 
this  year,  can  be  planted  to  advantage  with  pota- 
toes next  year.  Crops  thus  exchanged  drain  the 
soil  less  and  keep  more  free  from  disease  and  pests. 

The  garden,  however,  offers  a  very  different  prob- 
lem. There  may  be  parts  of  the  garden  well  suited 
to  certain  crops.  In  this  case  it  is  more  important  to 
have  suitable  soil  for  the  plants  than  a  change  of 
location.  One  can  afford  to  feed  the  plants  well 
on  the  small  space  and  give  them  all  the  nourish- 
ment they  need.  The  kitchen  garden  cannot  well 
be  moved,  and  this  is  not  necessary  if  it  is  properly 
cared  for. 

Beans  and  peas  should  not  be  moved  when  a  spot 
is  found  where  they  flourish.  Such  plants,  known 
as  legumes,  seem  to  require  the  presence  of  certain 
bacteria  in  the  soil.  Wherever  these  bacteria  are  pres- 
ent, legumes  flourish  and  will  do  better  there  than 
in  new  locations. 

There  are  some  crops,  however,  which  may  wisely 
be  changed  about.  Corn  and  potatoes  are  easily 
moved  in  most  gardens,  and  the  soil  is  improved  by 
doing  so.  Cabbages  should  also  be  changed  from 
year  to  year,  to  avoid  root  maggots. 

CLEANING  UP  THE  LAND 

It  always  distresses  a  good  garde'ner  to  see  a  gar- 
den that  is  untidy.  Stumps  and  roots  cause  many 


i8 


GARDEN  STEPS 


extra  steps  each  time  the  land  is  worked.  Remem- 
ber that  every  stone  on  the  land  draws  out  the  moisture 
from  the  soil,  spoils  the  dust  mulch  which  should  be 
kept  on  the  surface  by  cultivating,  and  helps  to  keep 
the  soil  hard  and  lumpy. 


FF~H 


NOT  THREE  YET,  BUT  HE  is  AS 
GOOD  AS  ANY  ONE  ELSE  FOR 
PICKING  UP  STONES 


CHAPTER  III 

FERTILIZERS 

IN  the  growth  of  plants,  four  constituents  are 
needed,  which  are  likely  to  become  exhausted  in 
the  soil.  These  must  be  supplied  to  most  gardens 
after  brief  use,  and  to  all  gardens  after  continued 
cultivation.  They  are  nitrogen,  lime,  phosphates, 
and  potash.  When  the  needs  of  the  crop  expected 
are  understood,  the  farmer  can,  by  supplying  these 
essential  constituents,  prepare  most  soils  to  produce 
good  results. 

A  few  years  ago  a  man  bought  a  large  tract  of 
land  at  a  low  price,  on  the  northern  end  of  the  island 
of  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  Those  familiar  with  the 
soil  laughed  when  they  heard  that  he  planned  to 
grow  peaches  there.  They  declared  that  the  soil 
was  so  poor  it  would  not  even  grow  grass,  which 
was  true. 

"  All  I  want  of  the  soil  is  to  hold  up  the  trees," 
he  replied.  "  I'll  feed  them." 

He  did,  and  today  a  most  profitable  peach  orchard 
flourishes  on  that  barren  strip.  Being  surrounded 
by  the  warm  water  of  the  bay,  it  is*  free  from  frost 
—  the  dread  of  peach  growers. 

19 


20  GARDEN   STEPS 

NEEDS  OF  PLANT  GROWTH 

Garden  plants  may  be  given  fertilizers  exa'ctly 
suited  to  their  particular  needs.  The  study  re- 
qujred  in  order  to  do  this  for  each  plant,  however, 
is  extensive,  and  not  necessary  for  home  gardening. 
Two  general  divisions  may  be  made  among  garden 
plants.  One  division  includes  those  plants  wanted 
for  their  leaves  and  stalks,  such  as  spinach,  chard, 
cabbage,  cauliflower,  and  lettuce.  Into  the  other 
division  go  those  plants  grown  for  their  seeds,  like 
corn  and  peas  and  beans,  or  for  their  fruits,  such  as 
tomatoes  and  melons,  or  for  their  roots,  like  po- 
tatoes and  other  root  crops. 

The  plants  in  the  first  division  require  a  good  deal 
of  nitrogen,  which  stimulates  the  quick  growth  of 
tops.  Those  in  the  second  group  need  less  nitro- 
gen and  more  potash,  which  increases  the  slower 
development  of  fruit,  seed,  and  roots. 

" COMPLETE"  FERTILIZER 

There  is  a  fertilizer  prepared  by  reliable  houses 
called  a  "  complete  "  fertilizer,  which  may  be  used 
with  success  on  all  plants  in  the  garden.  This  is 
the  kind  referred  to  in  the  following  pages,  when 
commercial  fertilizer  is  indicated.  But  if  the  gar- 
dener wishes  to  study  the  special  needs  of  the  two 
groups,  he  can  buy  two  grades  of  fertilizer,  one  for 
the  first  group,  and  another,  usually  called  potato 


DESERT  LAND  WITHOUT  WATER  OR  FERTILIZER 


SAME  LAND  IRRIGATED  AND  FERTILIZED 

21 


22  GARDEN  STEPS 

fertilizer,    and     rich     in    potash,     for     the     second 
group. 

In  buying  fertilizer,  go  to  a  reliable  house  fa- 
miliar with  the  needs  of  farmers  and  buy  high 
grade  material  always.  By  saving  a  few  cents  on 
the  purchase  price,  much  is  lost  in  the  crop.  The 
complete  fertilizer  will  be  satisfactory  for  general 
work ;  but  if  a  large  crop  of  one  vegetable  is  planned, 
study  its  needs  a  bit,  and  buy  from  your  dealer  some- 
thing which  he  recommends  for  that  particular 
plant. 

ANIMAL  DRESSING 

Dairy  and  Stable  Dressing.  -  -  The  term  dairy 
dressing  in  this  book  will  refer  to  manure  chiefly 
from  cows.  Stable  dressing  will  mean  dressing  mostly 
from  horses  and  will  include  the  bedding  used  in 
the  stables.  Dairy  dressing  is  by  far  the  most 
important  fertilizer  for  the  amateur  gardener  in 
most  parts  of  the  country.  It  not  only  contains 
the  four  essential  constituents  noted,  but  greatly 
increases  the  ability  of  the  soil  about  it  to  hold  water 
near  the  roots  of  the  growing  plants.  There  is 
little  danger  of  using  too  much,  and  hardly  any  other 
fertilizer  is  needed  if  this  can  be  obtained,  with  the 
exception  of  an  occasional  application  of  lime. 

Other  Manures.  —  Stable  dressing  is  also  valuable, 
but  must  be  used  with  more  care  than  dairy  dress- 
ing. It  is  known  as  "  hot  manure,"  as  it  will  heat 


FERTILIZERS  23 

rapidly  if  left  in  a  dry  pile,  and  soon  burns  away  its 
fertilizing  value.  It  will  also  burn  seeds  if  placed 
in  the  row  with  them  and,  unless  it  is  well  rotted, 
should  be  used  in  general  only  to  dig  or  plow  into 
the  soil  in  the  fall. 

Manure  from  the  sheep  and  pig  are  both  rich  in 
fertilizing  values,  and  should  be  used  under  the  ad- 
vice of  gardeners  near  at  hand.  Neither  of  these 
fertilizers  will  be  generally  available,  except  near 
large  cities  or  in  regions  where  these  animals  are 
kept. 

Poultry  Droppings.  —  A  most  valuable  fertilizer 
available  to  many  gardeners  is  provided  by  poultry 
droppings.  This  manure  needs  to  be  handled  with 
some  care,  as  it  is  too  strong  in  nitrogen  to  be  used 
freely  with  plants  which  do  not  require  much  nitro- 
gen, such  as  beans  and  peas.  It  is,  however,  almost 
perfect  for  those  plants  wanted  early  in  the  spring 
for  their  tops,  such  as  rhubarb,  asparagus,  and 
lettuce.  As  a  lawn  dressing  it  is  unequalled,  and 
may  be  scattered  about  on  the  sod  at  any  time 
with  safety. 

Poultry  droppings  are  so  common  in  all  districts 
and  so  valuable  as  a  fertilizer,  that  some  study  of 
their  qualities  is  well  worth  while.  Being  very  rich 
in  nitrogen  and  one-sided  in  this  respect,  it  is  best 
to  add  the  potash  which  they  lack  and  make  them 
into  a  complete  manure.  For  this  "purpose  we  may 
use  kainit,  which  is  a  crude  form  of  potash,  well 


24  GARDEN  STEPS 

adapted  to  this  end.  Kainit  may  usually  be  pur- 
chased from  dealers  in  agricultural  supplies ;  it 
comes  in  large  bags  at  a  dollar  or  so -a  bag.  Before 
scraping  the  droppings  from  the  roost,  scatter  about 
a  quart  of  kainit  with  what  will  make  a  pail  of 
droppings.  When  kainit  is  not  available,  twice 
the  amount  of  rock  phosphate  may  be  used  with 
good  results. 

Poultry  droppings  should  not  be  exposed  to  the 
weather,  if  their  full  strength  is  to  be  retained. 
When  mixed  with  the  kainit,  they  should  be  put  into 
barrels  or  boxes  and  covered  over.  The  potash 
holds  the  nitrogen  in  the  manure  and  preserves  it 
in  its  best  state.  This  dressing  is  most  useful  as 
a  stimulater,  after  the  crop  is  planted,  but  a  little 
may  be  mixed  with  the  soil  at  planting  time.  Put 
in  enough  dairy  dressing  in  the  fall,  if  possible,  and 
make  the  earth  light  and  soft.  Then,  when  the 
crop  is  well  started,  this  poultry  dressing,  quickly 
available,  is  a  wonderful  help  to  the  growing  plants, 
especially  where  tops  are  desired.  It  saves  much 
in  the  expense  of  added  dairy  dressing. 

Where  poultry  droppings  are  plenty,  and  it  is 
not  convenient  to  cover  them,  they  may  be  piled 
out  doors.  Thus  exposed  to  the  weather,  much  of 
the  nitrogen  escapes,  and  they  become  more  nearly 
balanced  as  fertilizer. 

Do  not  use  such  poultry  dressing  too  freely  on 
spots  intended  for  fine  cultivation.  It  tends  to 


FERTILIZERS 


make  the  ground  hard  and  lumpy  for  a  while.  On 
the  asparagus  bed,  or  with  corn  or  rhubarb,  this  is 
not  an  important  consideration,  and  they  may  be 
used  freely. 

LIME 

Direct  Action  of  Lime  on  the  Nature  of  the  Soil.  - 

Lime  is  not  only  an  essential  constituent  of  plant 
food,  but  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  farmer 
through  its  beneficial  action  upon  the  soil.  It 


CLAY  SOIL  BADLY  CRACKED 


SAME  TYPE  OF  SOIL  AFTER 
TREATMENT  WITH  LIME 


neutralizes  the  acidity  in  sour  lands.  It  acts  on 
the  dressing  that  is  dug  in,  hastening  the  decay  of 
the  vegetable  and  animal  matter  so  that  it  will  be 
more  quickly  and  completely  available  to  the  roots. 
It  also  helps  to  increase  the  store  of  potash  in  the 
soil  in  suitable  form  for  the  plant  'to  use,  a  most 
important  service. 


26  GARDEN  STEPS 

Not  only  does  lime  create  more  plant  food  for  the 
growing  roots  to  draw  upon,  but  it  also  improves 
the  physical  nature  of  the  soil.  On  heavy  and 
clayey  soil,  it  breaks  up  the  lumps,  separates  the 
fine  particles  which  cling  together,  and  makes  this 
soil  open  and  porous.  The  clayey  soil  thus  treated 
is  able  to  hold  moisture  a  much  greater  length  of 
time,  and  is  more  even  in  temperature  from  day  to 
day. 

On  light,  sandy  soil,  lime  fills  up  the  chinks  be- 
tween the  particles,  which  tend  to  be  large.  Thus 
the  soil  is  made  more  retentive  of  water,  which 
otherwise  would  soon  run  down  into  the  subsoil 
beyond  reach  of  the  plants.  In  sandy  soil,  not  limed, 
plants  whose  roots  do  not  feed  deeply  are  likely  to 
be  withered  by  the  hot  summer  sun  and  die  for  lack 
of  moisture. 

How  to  Secure  Lime.  —  Agricultural  lime  is  se- 
cured from  large  seed  houses  or  from  dealers  in 
farm  supplies.  It  is  not  at  all  expensive,  and  every 
gardener  should  have  it  on  hand.  For  some  crops, 
like  beets,  a  light  dressing  every  year  is  recom- 
mended. 

Litmus  Test.  —  All  sour  or  acid  soil  should  be 
treated  with  lime  at  once.  If  you  find  a  piece  of 
ground  where  sorrel  grows  freely  and  where  seeds 
sprout  poorly,  try  the  litmus  test.  Litmus  paper 
may  be  procured  from  the  druggist.  It  is  blue. 
Place  a  handful  of  the  soil  you  wish  to  test  in  a  glass 


FERTILIZERS  27 

or  cup.  Add  enough  water  to  turn  it  into  thin  mud. 
Then  bury  part  of  the  litmus  in  the  mud.  In  han- 
dling the  paper,  care  should  be  taken  not  to  touch 
that  part  which  is  to  be  tested,  as  one's  hands  may 
be  acid.  If  the  soil  is  sour,  the  paper  will  turn 
from  blue  to  red.  This  shows  that  such  soil  needs 
lime. 

The  foregoing  experiment  is  very  interesting  for 
classes  in  school.  Many  samples  of  soil  may  be 
brought  and  tested.  If  the  soil  proves  acid,  lime 
may  be  added  till  it  is  neutral  and  the  paper  stays 
blue.  Put  a  tablespoonful  of  lime  in  a  glass  of 
water,  stir  well,  and  mix  the  water  with  the  mud, 
a  little  at  a  time,  till  the  desired  result  is  ob- 
tained. 

Application  of  Lime.  -  -  The  amount  of  lime  to 
apply  varies  with  the  condition  of  the  land.  For 
heavy,  damp  lands,  it  would  not  be  too  much  to 
apply  twenty-five  pounds  to  each  twenty-foot 
square,  every  third  year.  If  the  land  is  rather  light 
and  sandy,  fifteen  pounds  every  year  for  each 
twenty-foot  square  would  be  sufficient.  As  lime 
tends  to  wash  away  from  light  land,  it  needs  more 
frequent  dressings  and  rather  more  lime  than  the 
heavy  soil.  Do  not  apply  the  lime  with  the  dressing. 
Scatter  it  over  the  surface  of  the  harrowed  land  in 
the  early  spring.  The  tendency  of  lime  is  to  work 
into  the  soil  and  gradually  wash  down  through  it  to 
the  subsoil. 


28  GARDEN  STEPS 

WOOD  ASHES 

When  cleaning  out  fireplaces  or  stoves  where 
wood  has  been  burned,  put  the  ashes  away  care- 
fully in  a  barrel.  Wood  ashes,  if  pure,  are  rich  in 
potash,  and  offer  it  in  a  form  immediately  available 
to  plants.  Lime  is  also  present,  and  an  application 
of  wood  ashes  on  lumpy,  hard  ground  has  a  very 
beneficial  effect.  This  fertilizer  is  especially  im- 
portant with  peas  and  beans.  A  few  wood  ashes, 
scattered  along  the  rows,  or  in  the  hills  with  beans, 
are  of  great  value.  Keep  them  dry  till  they  are 
used,  as  much  of  their  value  is  lost  if  they  are  ex- 
posed to  the  weather. 

HUMUS 

Humus  is  decaying  animal  and  vegetable  matter 
in  the  earth.  It  comes  from  the  weeds  and  plants 
left  in  the  ground,  from  leaves,  and  roots,  and  sim- 
ilar sources.  In  a  natural  state,  plants  grow  and 
die  in  the  same  spot.  The  seeds  fall  about  them 
and  are  nourished  by  the  humus  of  the  decaying 
plant.  In  this  way  the  growth  may  continue  year 
after  year. 

In  the  garden,  however,  plants  are  not  left  to  die. 
They  are  carried  away  and  used  elsewhere.  If 
this  plan  is  continued  long,  there  will  in  most  cases 
be  little  or  no  vegetable  matter  left  available  to  the 
plant,  in  the  soil.  When  this  happens,  crops  will  be 


FERTILIZERS 


29 


very  poor  until  humus  has  been  supplied.  This 
can  be  done  by  planting  crops  like  clover,  cow 
peas,  or  rye,  and  plowing  them  under ;  or  it  may  be 
provided  by  adding  manure  to  the  soil.  For  the 
ordinary  garden,  the  application  of  manure  is  the 
most  convenient  method  and  the  most  useful.  For 
these  reasons,  it  is  not  well  to  depend  entirely  on 
commercial  fertilizers,  unless  the  soil  is  very  rich 
in  vegetable  matter.  Dressing  of  some  kind  should 
be  added  to  most  soils  each  year,  in  order  to  keep 
the  earth  well  filled  with  humus. 


WHAT  ONE  BOY  ACCOMPLISHED  WITH  ONE  TWENTIETH  OF  AN  ACRE 


CHAPTER   IV 

SPRAYS   AND  POISONS 

THE  plant  doctors  are  always  at  work  compound- 
ing remedies  for  their  patients,  so  that  today  we  are 
happy  in  the  possession  of  a  cure  for  almost  every 
evil  in  the  garden.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the 
advice  of  an  English  gardener,  given  some  years  ago, 
to  hill  up  the  potato  vines,  drawing  the  earth  snugly 
about  the  stems  to  keep  the  mysterious  "  blight 
disease"  from  creeping  down  and  rotting  the  tubers. 
Of  course  this  precaution  was  of  no  use  against  the 
tiny  spores  that  cause  the  blight. 

BORDEAUX  MIXTURE 

After  much  research  Bordeaux  mixture  was  dis- 
covered, a  compound  of  copper  sulphate  and  lime. 
This  wonderful  remedy  not  only  protects  the  po- 
tato vine  against  the  blight,  but  also  prevents  many 
other  plants  from  having  fungus  diseases  of  all 
kinds.  Tornatoes,,  melons,  cucumbers,  beans,  straw- 
berries, and  numerous  other  plants  are  saved  from 
possible  destruction  by  its  use.  Bordeaux  mixture 
may  be  purchased  at  a  seed  house  or  at  local  stores. 

•      3° 


SPRAYS  AND  POISONS 


The  Pyrox  mentioned  in  later  pages  is  a  compound 
of  Bordeaux  with  arsenates,  giving  protection  from 
insects  and  disease  at  the  same  time. 

Formula  for  Bordeaux  Mixture.  —  It  is  possible 
to  make  your  own  Bordeaux  mixture  at  very  little  ex- 
pense, if  you  wish  to  do  so.  In  a  two-quart  fruit  jar, 


AFTER  BLIGHT  AND  BUGS 

The  force  pump  is  best  for  large  patches.     The  boys  can  spray  the  whole 
crop  from  this  position,  with  three  gallons  of  Bordeaux  and  lead  arsenate. 

or  some  glass  or  crock  holding  two  quarts  of  water, 
suspend  a  half  pound  of  copper  sulphate.  Tie  the 
copper  sulphate  in  a  piece  of  cloth  and  suspend  it 
from  a  stick  laid  across  the  top  of  the  full  jar.  In 
another  vessel  put  one  half  pound  of  quicklime; 
add  warm  water  till  it  is  dissolved,  and  the  mixture, 
when  stirred,  is  about  as  thick  as  cream. 

Pour  the  copper  solution  into  a  wooden  or  earthen 


32  GARDEN  STEPS 

vessel  which  will  hold  three  gallons.  A  stone  jar  is 
good  for  this  purpose.  Then  strain  the  lime  through 
a  cloth  into  the  copper  solution,  and  mix  thoroughly. 
Fill  up  with  clear  water  to  make  the  three  gallons. 
Whenever  you  use  this,  stir  it  thoroughly.  For 
potatoes,  add  a  quart  of  water  to  each  quart  of 
the  solution,  as  you  put  it  into  the  sprayer.  For 
beans  or  cucumber  vines,  add  three  pints  of  water 
to  a  quart  of  the  solution.  The  potato  can  stand  a 
stronger  solution  than  most  plants. 

There  seems  to  be  some  doubt  about  the  keeping 
qualities  of  the  Bordeaux  mixture  after  the  lime 
and  copper  sulphate  are  mixed  ;  for  this  reason  a 
small  recipe  is  given.  Three  gallons  of  stock  solu- 
tion will,  however,  last  half  the  season  in  the  ordinary 
garden,  and  the  amount  can  be  increased  to  suit 
the  needs  of  the  crop. 

Application.  —  Apply  this  spray  on  a  clear  day, 
using  a  pump  which  throws  a  fine  spray  with  con- 
siderable force.  Be  sure  that  all  parts  of  the  plant 
are  covered. 

POISON  FOR  INSECTS 

Two  Classes  of  Insects.  —  Beside  plant  diseases, 
there  are  numberless  insects  to  be  repelled.  These 
may  be  classed  in  two  divisions  —  those  that  chew 
the  foliage,  and  those  that  suck  the  sap.  The  po- 
tato bug  is  perhaps  the  most  common  and  the  most 
destructive  of  the  chewing  bugs.  A  poison  ap- 


SPRAYS  AND  POISONS  33 

plied  to  the  foliage  as  a  powder  or  spray  will  amply 
protect  plants  against  these  insects.  The  sap- 
sucking  insects  cannot  be  reached  by  ordinary  means, 
for  they  thrust  their  needle-like  beaks  into  the 
veins  of  the  plant,  where  the  poison  does  not  go. 
Fortunately,  these  bugs  have  soft  bodies  and  are 
sensitive  to  sprays  or  powders  that  affect  their 
skins.  The  aphis,  or  louse,  is  the  member  of  this 
group  which  must  usually  be  fought  in  the  home 
garden. 

Arsenate  of  Lead.  —  In  former  days,  Paris  green 
was  the  chief  agricultural  poison,  but  in  many  places 
arsenate  is  now  used  entirely  in  place  of  Paris  green. 
It  is  stronger  than  Paris  green  and  clings  to  the 
foliage  much  better.  If  well  dried  on,  a  spray  of 
arsenate  of  lead  will  stick  through  several  rains, 
whereas  Paris  green  will  soon  wash  off.  Arsenate 
of  lead  may  be  purchased  as  a  paste  or  as  a  powder. 
The  powder  is  the  most  practical  to  buy.  It  does 
not  harden,  and  there  is  no  expense  for  a  jar.  The 
paste  must  be  packed  in  a  sealed  jar  and  will  harden 
if  not  kept  carefully  sealed. 

Arsenate  may  be  applied  as  a  powder,  by  shaking 
it  on  the  plants  from  a  tin  box  with  holes  punched 
in  the  bottom.  The  easiest  way  to  use  it,  however, 
where  more  than  a  half  dozen  plants  are  to  be  treated, 
is  in  a  spray.  Mix  the  powdered  ajsenate  of  lead 
into  a  paste  and  then  dilute  with  water.  A  heaping 
tablespoonful  to  a  gallon  of  water  will  be  sufficient. 


34 


GARDEN  STEPS 


It  should  leave  a  thin,  white  film  over  the  leaf 
when  it  dries.  All  chewing  insects  are  controlled  by 
this  poison.  For  convenience,  arsenate  of  lead  may 
be  combined  with  the  Bordeaux  mixture.  Simply 
add  a  heaping  tablespoonful  of  arsenate,  reduced  to 
a  thin  paste,  to  a  gallon  of  Bordeaux  mixture. 


THE  HAXD  SPRAY 

This  is  convenient  for  small  gardens  and  odd  spots  about  the  house. 
It  should  always  be  kept  loaded  in  the  shed  ready  for  use. 

Cutworm  Bait.  -  -  The  cutworm  has  tricks  of  his 
own  that  require  special  treatment.  He  lives  in 
the  ground  and  comes  out  at  night  to  gnaw  at  the 
stems  of  tomatoes,  cabbages,  onions,  and  other 
plants,  just  at  the  level  of  the  soil.  He  is  very  fond 
of  sweets.  Mix  a  teaspoonful  of  powdered  arsenate 


SPRAYS  AND  POISONS  35 

of  lead  with  a  quart  of  bran,  and  make  it  into  a 
paste  with  sweetened  water ;  this  he  prefers  to  any 
other  food.  It  kills  at  once  all  worms  that  eat 
vegetation.  Sugar  and  molasses  are  equally  good 
for  sweetening.  Drop  the  bait  in  small  doses  a 
yard  or  two  apart  on  the  soil  you  intend  to  plant. 
There  seems  to  be  little  danger  to  birds  or  animals 
from  this  poison. 

How  to  Protect  against  Other  Worms.  —  Other 
worms  with  habits  like  those  of  the  cutworm  are 
always  present, ,  but  seldom  do  great  harm  in  the 
small  garden.  White  grubs  and  wire  worms  some- 
times harm  the  roots  of  growing  plants.  They  are 
checked  best  by  frequent  cultivation.  Plow  up  the 
land  in  the  fall,  and  you  will  expose  their  nests  and 
eggs  to  the  cold,  which  will  greatly  decrease  their 
number. 

The  Earthworm  the  Gardener's  Friend.  —  Com- 
mon earthworms,  or  angle  worms,  should  be  wel- 
comed in  any  garden.  They  harm  nothing  and  do 
much  good,  making  the  soil  more  porous,  opening 
it  to  water,  and  refining  the  humus.  The  habit  of 
digging  them  in  the  garden  plot  for  fishing  bait 
should  be  discouraged. 

Hellebore.  -  -  There  are  some  plants,  such  as 
cabbages  and  cauliflowers,  on  which  it  is  not  wise  to 
use,  shortly  before  they  are  to  be  eaten,  such  a 
powerful  poison  as  arsenate  of  lead.  'In  such  cases, 
hellebore  is  a  satisfactory  substitute.  This  is  es- 


36  GARDEN  STEPS 

pecially  valuable  for  currants.  Shake  the  powdered 
hellebore  among  the  leaves  or  mix  a  tablespoonful 
to  two  quarts  of  water  and  spray  it  on. 

Treatment  of  Sucking  Insects.  —  Lice,  those  little 
green  mites  which  gather  sometimes  in  great  numbers 
on  pea  vines,  cabbages,  and  other  plants,  get  their 
living  by  sucking  the  sap  from  the  veins  and  thus 
robbing  the  plant  of  its  nourishment. 

Tobacco  powder  is  good  to  dust  on  such  insects. 
It  fills  up  the  breathing  pores  of  their  bodies  and 
kills  them.  Persian  insect  powder  also  has  the  same 
effect.  The  best  and  most  generally  used  weapon 
against  the  sucking  insects,  however,  is  kerosene 
emulsion. 

Kerosene  Emulsion.  —  In  preparing  the  kerosene 
emulsion  spray,  shave  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  good 
laundry  soap  and  dissolve  it  in  two  quarts  of  water. 
Place  a  gallon  of  kerosene  in  a  receptacle  large  enough 
to  hold  both  the  soap  water  and  the  kerosene. 
Into  this  kerosene,  pour  the  soap  water  while  it  is 
boiling  hot,  and  churn  or  stir  vigorously  for  five 
minutes  till  the  mixture  is  creamy.  This  will  keep 
until  wanted.  For  lice,  plant  bugs,  and  scale  insects 
that  suck  the  sap,  take  a  cup  of  this  emulsion,  mix 
it  with  a  gallon  of  water,  and  spray  vigorously.  It 
is  a  good  plan,  when  vines  are  badly  affected,  to 
spray  with  this  emulsion  every  three  days,  using  a 
spray  of  clear  water  once  in  between,  till  the  lice 
are  gone. 


SPRAYS  AND  POISONS  37 

The  emulsion  may  also  be  used  successfully  against 
the  root  maggots  that  bother  cabbages.  Soak  the 
ground  about  the  roots.  This  usually  kills  the 
maggots  at  that  point.  Vigorous  cultivation,  how- 
ever, is  the  best  general  protection  against  grubs. 

CARE  IN  HANDLING  POISON 

Always  keep  the  poisons  away  from  the  reach  of 
children  and  careless  people.  Do  not  trust  hired 
help  to  handle  poison,  unless  they  are  perfectly 
trustworthy.  A  spoon,  used  in  mixing  arsenate  of 
lead  and  then  in  mixing  chicken  food,  has  dreadful 
possibilities.  If  you  can,  keep  poisons  in  a  chest 
under  lock  and  key.  Then  you  will  know  just  who 
is  handling  them.  Mark  all  such  material  with 
distinct  labels. 


GARDEN  ON  THE  END  OF  A  \\  HARF 

Less  than  twenty  feet  square,  it  provides  tomatoes, 
pole  beans,  bush  beans,  beets,  lettuce,  radishes,  peas, 
cucumbers,  and  squash  —  all  made  out  of  a  dump. 


CHAPTER  V 

TOOLS 

IT  may  be  that  a  poor  workman  always  complains 
of  his  tools ;  nevertheless,  to  be  a  good  workman 
one  must  have  good  tools.  In  gardening,  the  best 
tools  are  not  very  expensive  and  contribute  much  to 
the  success  of  the  work. 

Wheelbarrow.  —  A  wheelbarrow  should  be  one 
of  the  first  things  on  the  list.  Barrows  with  iron 
wheels  are  the  most  desirable.  They  are  light 
and  strong.  Best  of  all,  the  wheel  does  not  swell 
and  become  loose  if  the  barrow 'is  left  out  in  the 
rain. 

Shovel.  —  One  shovel  is  really  enough  in  the  home 
garden,  though  most  people  have  two  or  three  about 
the  place.  If  only  one  is  available,  it  should  be 
square  at  the  bottom,  with  a  rather  sharp  edge.  If 
one  can  have  both  a  round,  pointed  shovel  and  a 
spade,  so  much  the  better. 

Spading  Fork. --This  tool  is  needed  frequently 
for  digging,  for  handling  dressing,  and  for  turning 
over  the  soil  in  corners  where  the  plow  does  not 
reach.  Be  sure  the  fork  is  manufactured  by  a  reli- 

38 


TOOLS 


39 


able  firm,  and  is  of  good  steel,  for  great  strain  fre- 
quently comes  on  a  single  tine. 

Sickle.  —  For  trimming  the  long  grass  that  grows 
about  the  edges  of  the  garden,  for  work  about  trees, 
and  for  cutting  corn  stalks  after  the  ears  are  picked, 


WOODEN  RAKE,  CULTIVATOR,  HEAVY  HOE,  LIGHT  WEEDING 
HOE,  AND  IRON  RAKE 

a  light  sickle  of  high  grade  is  often  called  into  use. 
Keep  the  sickle  sharp. 

Rakes.  —  A  wooden  rake  with  teeth  set  close 
together  is  needed  for  smoothing  garden  ground 
and  raking  the  lawn.  Ask  for  a  lawn  rake,  as  hay 
rakes  have  the  teeth  too  far  apart  for  garden  work. 
A  steel  rake  with  short,  straight  teeth  is  also  needed 
for  preparing  the  seed  beds  and  raking  about  grow- 
ing plants. 


GARDEN  STEPS 


Hoe  and  Cultivator.  -  -  The  principal  use  of  the 
hoe  is  for  opening  small  trenches  and  furrows. 
For  cultivating  and  killing  weeds,  the  best  tool  is 
not  a  hoe,  but  a  potato  digger  with  five  or  six  round 
tines.  The  shorter  the  tines  and  the  lighter  the  tool, 
the  better.  The  sharp  teeth  of  this  potato  digger 
sink  into  the  ground  easily,  and  work  back  and 
forth,  leaving  the  dirt  loose  and  fine  without  piling 

it  up.  It  is  also  useful  in 
turning  over  new  ground. 
A  sharp  stroke  and  a  pull 
will  bring  up  a  clod  with 
little  effort.  In  selecting 
tools  of  this  sort,  light- 
ness is  essential.  A  heavy 
hoe  only  requires  more 
effort  for  the  same  result. 
Trowels. — Trowels  are 
not  expensive.  Good 
ones  can  be  bought  in 
the  ten-cent  store.  Have 
one  large  trowel  with  a 
curved  blade  for  general 
use,  and  one  small  mason's  trowel  for  working  about 
the  smaller  plants. 

Wheel  Harrow.  —  Another  tool  for  cultivating  is 
the  wheel  harrow  or  wheel  plow.  This  tool  costs 
about  five  dollars,  and  is  worth  every  cent  of  it, 
where  the  garden  covers  five  thousand  feet  or  more. 


SICKLE,  SMALL  MASON'S  TROWEL, 
ROUND-BLADED  TROWEL,  AND 
SMALL  CULTIVATOR 


TOOLS 


With  this  tool  come  a  plow,  a  pair  of  hoes,  and  a 
set  of  cultivator  teeth.  After  every  rain,  as  soon  as 
the  top  surface  is  dried  a  bit,  bring  out  the  wheel 
harrow.  Run  it  up  and  down  the  rows  and  it  will 
leave  the  earth  soft  and  loose,  ready  to  hold  every 
drop  of  moisture  in  the  soil. 

With  this  wheel  harrow  a  seeder  is  offered,  which 
costs  about  five  dollars  more.  This  tool  needs  such 
careful  adjustment  for  each  kind  of  seed,  that  you 
will  find  it  more  satisfactory  to  plant  the  seed  by 
hand.  On  a  big  place 
these  seeders  are  neces- 
sary and  do  good  work ; 
but  for  the  small  plot  or 
garden  there  is  great 
satisfaction  in  knowing 
just  where  every  seed 
goes,  and  the  seeder  is  not 
used  enough  to  justify  its 
expense  and  extra  care. 

Spray  Pump. --Two 
sprayers  are  desirable. 
One  should  be  large 
enough  to  throw  liquid 
from  a  pail  or  tank  with  a 
good  deal  of  force,  either 
in  a  spray  or  a  stream. 
This  pump  costs  from 


three  dollars  up,  acccrd- 


FORCE  PUMP  TO  USE  WITH  PAIL, 
SMALL  TANK  SPRAY  FOR  DAILY 
USE,  AND  WATER  POT 

The  force  pump  has  no  washers  and 
never  gets  out  of  order. 


42  GARDEN  STEPS 

ing  to  style  and  materials  used  in  making  it.  It  is 
used  in  spraying  trees,  potatoes,  cucumber  vines, 
and  other  plants  which  cover  a  good  deal  of 
surface. 

Besides  this  pump,  get  a  small  hand  sprayer  cost- 
ing fifty  cents,  made  from  galvanized  iron.  This 
may  be  kept  loaded  with  arsenate  of  lead  solution, 
as  it  is  needed  almost  daily  to  spray  the  small  squash 
vines  and  plants  of  like  nature,  which  are  often 
attacked  by  beetles  as  soon  as  they  appear  above 
the  surface  of  the  ground. 

Watering  Pot  and  Hose.  —  If  you  can  have  run- 
ning water  and  enough  hose  to  cover  the  space  pro- 
vided for  the  kitchen  garden,  use  it  by  all  means. 
The  plants  there  depend  for  their  best  qualities 
upon  rapid  growth,  and  rapid  growth  depends  upon 
water,  plenty  of  it.  If  the  running  water  and  hose  are 
not  possible,  a  watering  pot  is  needed.  A  pot 
made  of  galvanized  iron,  and  holding  about  two  gal- 
lons, is  the  best. 

Iron  Bar.  —  Many  people  try  to  do  garden  work 
without  the  help  of  a  bar,  but  if  they  realized  the 
great  advantage  gained  by  the  use  of  such  a  tool, 
they  would  not  be  without  it.  Bars  vary  in  price 
according  to  their  weight.  Even  a  piece  of  old 
water  pipe,  five  feet  long  or  so,  may  be  made  of 
much  use.  Heat  the  end  in  the  fire  until  it  is  red- 
hot.  Then  pound  it  into  a  point  on  a  large  flat 
stone.  For  setting  the  many  stakes  which  are 


TOOLS  43 

needed  each  year  in  every  garden,  a  bar  of  some  kind 
is  really  essential. 

Line.  —  A  strong  cord"  about  one  hundred  feet 
long  should  be  a  part  of  every  gardener's  outfit. 
In  setting  out  rows  of  vegetables,  edging  walks  and 


SQUARE  SHOVEL,  SPADING  FORK,  SPADE,  EDGE  CUTTER  FOR 
WALKS  AND  GARDEN  EDGES,  AND  ROUND-POINTED  SHOVEL 


gardens,  and  making  the  whole  place  neat  and 
orderly,  the  marking  line  is  constantly  needed.  A 
large  fishline  makes  a  good  line  for  the  garden,  as 
it  is  free  from  knots  and  twists. 

Row  Markers.  —  In  planting  a  fairly  large  piece 
of  ground,  thorough  cultivation,  economy  of  space, 
and  general  appearance  all  require  that  care  be 
taken  in  marking  the  rows.  These  may  be  made 


44 


GARDEN  STEPS 


straight  and  of  even  width  by  the  use  of  a  marker, 
which  can  be  made  as  follows  : 

Take  a  piece  of  two-  by  three-inch  joist,  six  feet  long 
if  you  want  the  rows  three  feet  apart,  four  feet  long 


THE  Row  MARKER 
Draw  it  behind  you  and  make  three  parallel  rows  at  once. 

if  you  want  them  two  feet  apart,  and  so  on.  At  the 
center,  nail  on  a  piece  of  scantling  about  eight  feet 
long  for  the  handle.  For  braces,  nail  strips  obliquely 
across  to'  the  heavy  piece,  one  on  each  side.  Small 
pieces  about  seven  inches  long  and  sharp  at  one 
end,  should  be  nailed  firmly  to  the  body  piece,  at 
distances  as  needed  for  the  rows.  When  finished, 
this  will  look  like  a  long  rake  with  three  or  more 
teeth. 


TOOLS 


45 


In  marking  lines,  measure  the  first  row,  and  then 
draw  the  marker  behind  you  so  that  the  outside 
tooth  follows  this  line.  The  other  teeth  mark  rows 
which  are  parallel. 

Where  many  people  work  together,  as  in  school 
gardens,  two  or  three  of  these  markers  with  teeth 
measured  for  various  distances  between  rows,  can  be 
made  in  the  manual  training  room,  and  will  be  of 
much  service  in  planting  the  larger  seeds,  such  as 
beans,  peas,  and  corn. 

Stakes.  —  During  the  winter  months  provide 
yourself  with  twenty-five  or  thirty  stakes  to  set  at 

the    heads    of    the    rows. ™==a___ 

These  can  be  made  in 
school  if  tools  are  pro- 
vided there.  Narrow 
cedar  shingles  are  espe- 
cially good,  because  cedar 
does  not  rot,  and  they 
can  be  used  year  after 
year.  Cut  off  three  inches 
of  the  thin  end ;  point 
that  end  and  smooth 
the  other  with  a  plane. 
A  piece  about  two 
inches  wide  is  large 
enough  to  write  upon. 

If   shingles    are   not   at   hand,    pieces   of    boxwood 
will  serve. 


STAKES  FOR  MARKING  Rows, 
MADE  FROM  SMALL  SHINGLES 


46 


GARDEN  STEPS 


Grindstone.  —  If  you  have  ever  had  a  grindstone, 
even  a  small  one,  you  will  never  want  to  be  without 
one.  It  is  used  in  twenty  ways  every  week.  By 
means  of  a  grindstone,  axes  and  hatchets,  table  knives, 
trowels,  shovels,  hoes,  and  many  other  tools  can  be 
kept  in  good  condition  with  little  labor.  The  ex- 
pense of  a  small  grindstone  is  not  great,  but  if  you 
do  not  feel  like  spending  the  money  for  that,  then 
get  a  whetstone  and  a  large  file,  and  be  sure  to  use 
them  on  your  garden  tools  when  they  get  dull. 


HOEING  AND  CULTIVATING  A  FIELD  or  POTATOES 


CHAPTER  VI 

ASPARAGUS 

PREPAREDNESS  has  no  greater  significance  as  to 
garden  work  than  in  relation  to  asparagus.  It  is 
hard  for  people  to  plan  and  plant  a  crop  which  may 
not  be  garnered  for  two  years,  but  there  is  some- 
thing impelling  in  the  world  situation  today.  Those 
who  never  looked  ahead  before  are  looking  ahead 
now.  As  part  of  the  obligation  we  owe  ourselves 
and  those  dependent  on  us,  why  not  lay  out  an 
asparagus  bed  ? 

Asparagus  is  more  than  a  vegetable ;  it  serves 
the  purpose  of  meat  also  with  many  people.  Few 
there  are  who  do  not  consider  a  dish  of  asparagus 
on  toast  a  treat,  a  luxury  which  only  the  rich  can 
afford ;  yet  nothing  is  easier  to  grow  and  care  for. 
The  first  plant,  after  the  rhubarb,  to  appear  in  the 
spring  is  this  delicious  vegetable.  During  the  six 
weeks  before  strawberries  ripen,  a  small  patch  will 
provide  daily  for  the  needs  of  the  average  family. 
Once  grown,  it  will  continue  to  be.ar  almost  in- 
definitely. There  are  beds  over  fifty  years  old  which 
still  produce  good  crops. 

47 


48 


GARDEN  STEPS 


KINDS  TO  CHOOSE 

Danger  of  Rust  to  Certain  Varieties.  —  In  certain 
parts  of  the  country,  asparagus  has  suffered  from 
rust,  a  disease  which  kills  the  plant  by  attacking 
the  foliage.  Some  gardeners  who  made  asparagus 

their  main  crop  almost  gave 

up  in  despair,  because  no 
remedy  could  be  found  for 
rust.  Then  it  was  dis- 
covered that  certain  varie- 
ties of  asparagus  are  free 
from  this  disease.  By 
choosing  these  types,  the 
growers  have  escaped  the 
ravages  of  rust. 

Hardy  Varieties.  -  -  The 
Argenteuil,  the  Reading 
Giant,  and  the  Palmetto 
are  all  varieties  which  have 
been  very  successful  and 
hardy.  Before  deciding  on 
the  kind  you  wish  to  plant, 
however,  write  your  state 

agricultural  experiment  station  and  the  department 
at  Washington.  Constant  attention  is  being  given 
to  this  plant,  and  great  efforts  are  being  made  to 
provide  types  which  will  thrive  in  every  locality.  It 
is  safe  to  plant  asparagus  thus  recommended. 


ARGEXTEUIL  ASPARAGUS 


ASPARAGUS 


METHODS  OF  PLANTING 


49 


Fertilizing. --The  methods  of  planting  recom- 
mended formerly  by  all,  and  still  required  by  most, 
writers  on  this  subject  have  been  expensive  both  in 
dressing  and  in  labor.  A  detailed  study  of  the  as- 
paragus plant  and  its  habits  shows  that  much  of 
this  labor  and  fertilizer  has  probably  been  wasted. 


Asparagus  should  be  harrowed  and  fertilized  when  strawberries  are 
ripe.     No  more  asparagus  should  be  cut  after  this. 

The  customary  method  has  been  to  dig  deep  trenches, 
even  as  far  down  as  four  feet,  and  enrich  the  ground 
heavily  with  large  quantities  of  dressing.  It  must 
be  admitted,  however,  that  the  root  will  probably 
never  get  full  value  from  a  large  amount  of  dress- 
ing used  when  planting.  It  is  four  years  before  the 
root  is  large  enough  to  draw  greatly  on  this  fer- 
tilizer, and  by  that  time  the  soil  will  need  a  fresh 


50  GARDEN  STEPS 

supply.  Moreover,  there  is  little  to  prove  that  the 
asparagus  root  draws  on  the  soil  beneath  it  for  much 
of  its  food,  when  once  started.  The  root  spreads 
chiefly  not  downward,  but  horizontally,  and  even 
tends  to  work  upwards,  hunting  for  nourishment 
and  air. 

The  French,  who  have  attained  great  success 
with  asparagus,  plan  to  feed  the  roots  from  above 
each  year.  Progressive  American  growers,  who 
have  started  the  roots  with  very  little  dressing  and 
increased  the  amount  as  the  roots  grew,  have  been 
rewarded  with  such  good  results  that  they  will 
never  again  resort  to  the  expensive  plan  of  deep 
digging  and  the  use  of  a  great  quantity  of  dressing 
when  the  roots  are  set. 

Growing  from  Roots.  —  Asparagus  may  be  grown 
from  seed,  but,  as  enough  one-year  or  two-year 
roots  for  the  ordinary  garden  cost  less  than  a  dollar, 
and  save  at  least  a  year  in  time  and  a  good  deal  of 
labor,  it  is  not  worth  while  to  grow  from  seed. 
The  sale  of  a  fraction  of  the  crop  the  third  year  will 
more  than  repay  the  extra  expense  for  the  roots. 
The  roots  should  be  set  during  the  spring,  except  in 
the  South.  In  the  northern  states  the  roots  are 
not  ready  to  transplant  till  after  the  growing  season  is 
passed.  They  would  make  little  growth  if  planted 
then,  and  would  be  likely  to  die  during  the  winter. 

Preparing  the  Soil.  —  For  the  ordinary  garden, 
the  following  plan  should  prove  simple,  inexpensive, 


ASPARAGUS  51 

and  successful.  Select  for  asparagus  the  most  level 
spot  possible,  provided  with  good  drainage ;  for  the 
soil  will  tend  to  wash  away,  and  the  roots  may  be 
exposed  before  long,  if  on  a  slope.  Sandy  loam  is 
the  best  soil,  though  any  good  garden  land  will  do. 
When  the  earth  is  warm,  lay  off  the  plot  into  rows 
three  feet  apart,  after  digging  it  over  with  the 
spading  fork  at  least  a  foot  deep  and  removing  all 
large  stones.  Along  these  rows,  scoop  out  the  earth 
in  a  trench  about  ten  inches  deep  and  fifteen  inches 
wide.  See  that  the  bottom  of  the  trench  is  loose, 
and  mix  with  the  soil,  thus  loosened,  dairy  or  stable 
dressing,  about  a  barrow-load  to  every  twenty  feet. 
This  dressing  should  not  be  too  fresh ;  if  partly 
rotted  and  free  from  heat,  it  will  do. 

Setting  Out.  —  Into  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  set 
the  roots  two  feet  apart,  so  that  they  will  spread  out 
freely  in  all  directions  and  the  crown  will  lie  six 
inches  beneath  the  level  of  the  soil.  Then  put  back 
two  inches  of  the  soil,  gathering  the  earth  firmly 
about  the  roots.  The  distances  for  separating  the 
roots  may  be  a  trifle  less  than  two  feet,  in  rows 
three  feet  apart ;  but  if  the  bed  is  to  be  permanent, 
the  roots  will,  before  many  years,  spread  so  that  they 
will  need  even  more  room  than  two  feet.  In  old 
beds,  where  ample  room  has  not  been  provided,  the 
roots  crowd  and  choke  one  another.  This  soon  re- 
duces the  size  of  the  stalks  and  spoils  the  crop  for 
market. 


52  GARDEN  STEPS 

CULTIVATION 

The  First  Year.  —  When  the  shoots  appear,  fill 
in  the  rest  of  the  soil  gradually,  mixing  dressing  with 
it,  a  barrow-load  to  each  twenty  feet  of  soil.  If 
the  spot  is  windy,  support  the  slender  shoots  with 
stakes  driven  in  along  the  row.  Of  course  no 
sprouts  will  be  cut  for  food  the  first  summer.  In 
the  fall,  before  the  berries  drop,  cut  down  the  tops 
and  take  them  away.  If  the  seeds  are  allowed  to 
ripen  on  the  bed,  the  young  plants  that  sprout  from 
them  will  prove  troublesome  weeds  the  next  season. 
Then  cover  the  bed  with  dressing  of  any  nature, 
enough  to  form  a  protective  mulch  during  the  winter. 

The  Second  Year.  --The  next  spring  this  dressing 
must  be  dug  or  harrowed  into  the  soil,  which  should 
be  well  loosened  over  the  bed.  After  the  cutting 
has  stopped,  apply  some  fertilizer  which  will  be 
immediately  available  to  the  plant.  Five  pounds 
of  nitrate  of  soda  or  commercial  fertilizer  to  a 
twenty-foot  square  is  the  best,  and  more  will  do  no 
harm.  The  next  year's  crop  will  depend  upon  the 
strength  of  growth  during  July  and  August.  The 
roots  are  then  storing  up  the  nourishment  needed 
for  pushing  out  shoots  the  next  spring.  Everything, 
therefore,  must  be  done  to  encourage  strong  growth 
of  the  tops  during  the  summer. 

Later  Care.  —  Every  fall  hereafter,  the  ground 
should  be  mulched  with  dressing,  to  be  harrowed  in 


ASPARAGUS  53 

the  next  spring ;  a  new  application  of  fertilizer  may 
be  harrowed  in  again  when  the  season  for  cutting 
is  over.  By  this  method  the  roots  receive  nourish- 
ment when  it  is  needed,  especially  during  each  sum- 
mer season,  and  there  will  be  no  loss  of  crops  from 


ASPARAGUS  THREE  WEEKS  AFTER  HARROWING 
When  crop  is  cut,  about  strawberry  time,  harrow  the  bed. 

lack  of  support.  The  large  expense  for  labor  and 
dressing  at  planting  time  will  be  saved,  and  you 
will  know  what  nourishment  the  roots  are  getting, 
and  when  they  get  it. 

Use  of  Salt.  —  Salt  is  often  recommended  for 
asparagus.  It  is  valuable  in  two  ways.  It  helps 
to  check  the  weeds,  and  it  keeps  the  ground  more 
moist,  drawing  the  dampness  from  the  air.  Do  not 
use  salt  in  place  of  a  fertilizer,  however.  It  has 
little  nutritive  value.  It  probably  does  make  the 


54  GARDEN  STEPS 

fertilizer  used  more  available  to  the  plant;  but  the 
full  measure  of  dressing  and  other  fertilizers  should 
be  given,  whether  salt  is  used  or  not.  Salt  may  be 
scattered  freely  among  the  plants  without  fear  of 

harm. 

CUTTING  ASPARAGUS 

The  sprouts  which  come  during  the  first  three 
weeks  the  second  year  may  be  cut,  but  cutting  should 
not  continue  longer  than  three  weeks.  When  cut- 
ting sprouts,  take  them  all,  big  and  little,  'and  stop 
cutting  completely  when  the  time  is  up.  Cutting 
the  stalks  may  begin  regularly  the  third  year,  and 
may  continue  from  the  time  they  come  up  in 
April  till  strawberries  ripen,  about  July  first.  Never 
leave  the  small  shoots  to  form  tops,  as  they  will 
draw  strength  from  the  roots  and  retard  other 
stalks.  During  the  cool  weather,  once  in  two  days 
is  often  enough  to  cut ;  but  when  the  sun  gets  hot, 
the  beds  should  be  cleaned  up  each  day.  All  stalks 
five  i'nche's  high  should  be  taken. 

The  cutting  is  done  with  a  knife  made  for  the  pur- 
pose. It  has  a  sharp  end.  Thrust  this  into  the  earth 
an  inch  away  from  the  stalk,  and  cut  down  obliquely, 
so  as  to  cut  off  the  shoot  an  inch  or  so  below  the  sur- 
face. Be  careful  that  the  knife  does  not  continue 
down  and  cut  other  shoots  beneath  the  surface,  or 
injure  the  crown  itself.  If  it  is  not  convenient  to 
get  an  asparagus  knife,  a  putty,  or  glazier's,  knife 
with  the  end  well  sharpened,  will  do. 


ASPARAGUS 


55 


Wash  the  stalks 
and  tie  them  in 
bunches  weighing 
about  a  pound. 
Raffia  for  this  pur- 
pose can  be  bought 
from  seed  houses. 
When  bunched,  the 
asparagus  should 
stand  in  a  pan  in  a 
cool  place.  Pour  in 
enough  water  to 
cover  two  inches  of 
the  stalk.  Aspara- 
gus will  be  improved  BUNCHING  ASPARAGUS 
by  Standing  thus  a  The  bunching  frame  holds  a  pound  and  a 
,  T  •  1 1  quarter  when  full.  It  has  slots  for  the  raffia. 

day  or  two.     It  will 

be  more  tender  and  have  a  better  flavor. 

BANKING  ASPARAGUS 

Some  gardeners  bank  the  hills  with  earth  to  get 
white  stalks.  This  is  always  done  at  the  expense 
of  flavor.  The  stalk  is  usually  slightly  bitter  and 
strong  till  it  has  been  exposed  to  the  air  and  sun. 
Years  ago  the  white,  or  blanched,  asparagus  was 
in  demand,  but  markets  now  usually  quote  the 
green  asparagus  at  higher  prices.  The  public  has 
discovered  that  the  latter  is  superior  in  flavor  and 
quality. 


56  GARDEN  STEPS 

ENEMIES 

Besides  the  rust,  already  spoken  of,  and  for  which 
no  satisfactory  cure  has  been  found,  the  stalks  are 
attacked  by  a  small  beetle  which  sometimes,  though 
not  frequently,  does  a  good  deal  of  harm.  The  best 
way  to  check  this  pest  is  to  let  chickens  run  in  the 
bed.  A  flock  of  chickens  is  the  ideal  caretaker  for 
the  asparagus  bed.  They' will  fertilize  it,  cultivate 
it,  keep  the  weeds  out,  and  eat  every  beetle  that 
conies  around.  Certain  precautions,  however,  must 
be  taken.  It  is  often  said  that  chickens  will  not 
eat  asparagus,  but  this  is  not  true.  They  will  eat 
the  stalks  and  spoil  them,  if  other  green  stuff  is  not 
at  hand.  Care  must  be  taken,  then,  not  to  have 
the  flock  so  large  that  they  eat  all  growing  green 
stuff.  If  you  can  inclose  a  bit  of  sod  ground  with 
the  asparagus,  that  will  satisfy  their  appetites  for 
green  food,  and  they  will  not  touch  the  stalks. 


CHAPTER  VII 

BEANS 

FOOD  VALUE  OF  BEANS 

TRAVELERS  tell  us  that  few  people  in  this  country 
realize  the  important  place  which  beans  take  in  the 
food  supply  of  the  world.  Those  who  have  been  in 
India  and  other  eastern  lands  say  that  we  are 
mistaken  in  thinking  that  rice  is  the  chief  article  of 
diet  in  the  East.  Beans,  they  report,  are  found 
everywhere  a  staple  food,  of  the  greatest  importance 
in  the  lives  of  the  working  classes. 

STRING  BEANS 

The  advance  which  has  been  made  recently  in 
the  culture  of  beans  is  wonderful.  Twenty  years 
ago  string  beans  were  well  named,  for  they  certainly 
had  strings  and  plenty  of  them.  They  produced 
a  cluster  of  pods  which,  if  picked  at  just  the  right 
moment,  were  edible,  but  which  at  once  became 
tough  and  coarse  if  left  on  the  bushes. 

Today  there  are  many  varieties  which  are  edible 
for  some  time,  and  a  few  which  continue  to  produce 

57 


RUST-PROOF  GOLDEN  WAX  BEAN 
58 


BEANS  59 

delicious  beans  for  a  great  part  of  the  summer.  It 
can  hardly  be  said,  as  yet,  that  beans  are  really  string- 
less,  although  many  growers  advertise  different 
kinds  as  "  stringless  beans."  All  beans  develop 
strings  sooner  or  later,  but  it  is  now  possible  to  leave 
them  on  the  vines  for  some  time  and  still  find  them 
brittle  and  free  from  tough  fiber. 

Bush  String  Beans.  -  -  The  first  beans  of  the  sea- 
son will  be  the  string  beans  which  grow  on  low, 
sturdy  bushes.  If  the  sun  is  warm  and  the  weather 
fair,  beans  may  be  served  at  table  less  than  eight 
weeks  after  planting. 

Almost  every  seed  house  offers  bush  string  beans 
which  they  can  recommend  for  your  locality,  and 
you  are  reasonably  sure  to  get  a  good  bean  by 
choosing  from  their  catalogues.  There  are  two 
varieties,  however,  the  Valentine,  and  the  Early 
Six  Weeks ,  which  have  been  tried  all  over  the  coun- 
try with  much  success ;  these  may  be  trusted  to 
give  good  results  everywhere. 

Giant  Stringless  Green  Pod  Valentine. — This  is 
a  green  bush  bean,  developed  lately  from  the  Val- 
entine family.  The  vines  are  productive  and  hardy. 
The  pods  are  large,  almost  round,  and  are  free  from 
the  rust  which  attacks  many  beans,  covering  them 
with  brown  spots.  This  bean  is  not  the  earliest,  but 
is  well  worth  trying  in  any  garden.^ 

Early  Six  Weeks. --This  green-podded  bean  is 
one  of  the  earliest.  It  has  long  pods  which  are 


60  GARDEN   STEPS 

rather  flat,  and  the  quality  is  good  if  the  beans  are 
picked  while  young.  The  pods  soon  become  coarse 
and  stringy  if  left  on  the  vines,  while  those  of  the 
Giant  Stringless  keep  their  excellent  table  quality 
much  longer.  ' 

Bush  Wax  Beans.  —  Of  late  years,  there  have 
been  developed  many  excellent  bush  beans  of  the 
yellow,  or  wax,  variety,  such  as  the  Golden  Wax, 
and  War  dwells  Kidney  Wax.  If  you  wish  to  try 
some  of  the  bush  wax  variety,  a  safe  way  is  to  ask 
your  seedsman  for  the  best  wax  bush  bean  to  grow 
in  your  locality.  Beans  vary  somewhat  as  to  hardi- 
ness and  quality,  according  to  climate  and  condi- 
tions, and  you  may  depend  upon  any  reputable 
seed  house  for  advice  regarding  this  type  of  bean. 

Culture  of  Bush  Beans.  —  Beans  are  easily  in- 
jured by  frost  and  should  not  be  planted  until  the 
cold  nights  are  past  and  the  ground  is  warm  and 
mellow.  Market  gardeners  who  raise  them  in 
large  quantities  each  year  often  plant  them  soon 
after  the  peas.  Then  they  plant  others  in  the  same 
row,  about  a  week  later.  If  the  first  ones  grow 
well,  they  simply  pull  the  second  lot  out  as  they 
sprout;  but  if  the  first  seeding  is  hurt  by  wet  or 
cold,  they  have  the  second  planting  to  depend  upon. 
See  that  the  ground  is  not  too  wet.  Rake  the  earth 
until  it  is  soft.  Measure  the  space  intended  for  beans 
and  lay  out  a  line  with  the  cord.  Then  open  a 
furrow  two  inches  deep  along  this  line,  and  sow 


BEANS 


61 


the  beans  about  half  an  inch  apart.  Rake  the 
earth  back  into  the  furrow  and  pack  it  to  be  sure  it 
is  firm  above  the  beans,  scratching  it  gently  with 
the  rake  to  break  up  the  surface  crust. 

At  least  two  feet  should  be  left  between  the  rows. 
Be  sure  to  leave  a  stick  at  each  end  of  the  row  to 
show  just  where  the  beans  are  planted. 

After  a  few  days  of  warm 
sun,  the  earth  will  crack,  and 
the  whole  bean,  greatly  swelled 
by  the  moisture  it  has  absorbed, 
will  begin  to  push  up  through 
the  ground.  The  little  root 
below  has  strength  enough  to 
lift  this  weight  and  force  it 
through  the  earth  into  the 
sunlight.  As  soon  as  it  comes 
above  the  ground,  the  healthy 
seed  splits  in  the  middle,  and 
the  first  leaf  appears. 

Now    is    the    time    to    look 

over  the  row.  Some  beans  will  be  weak  and  yellow. 
Pull  them  out  at  once.  If  some  are  less  than  an 
inch  apart,  thin  them  out  also.  Watch  them  for 
another  week.  The  cutworms  will  get  some  prob- 
ably, and  accidents  may  happen  to  others.  Soon  it 
is  time  to  thin  them  out  again,  leaving  them  not 
less  than  four  inches  apart. 

Be  sure  that  the  ground  is  kept  soft  and  loose 


BEAN,  SHOWING  FIRST  LEAF 
AND  ROOT  GROWTHS 


62 


GARDEN  STEPS 


about  them  with  the  cultivator,  and  once  or  twice 
as  they  grow,  take  the  trowel  and  clean  the  weeds 
from  between  the  bushes. 

Beans  are  very  delicate.  •  Do  not  work  among 
them  during  a  rain  or  while  the  leaves  are  wet,  for 
they  are  likely  to  become  rusty  if  you  do. 


BEANS  ARE  A  GOOD  CROP  FOR  THE  AMATEUR  TO  RAISE 

In  about  seven  weeks  the  pods  should  begin  to 
form,  and  after  a  few  days  they  will  be  ready  to 
pick  for  the  table,  as  they  grow  rapidly  after 
the  blossom  falls.  Don't  be  one  of  those  people  who 
insist  on  leaving  the  beans  till  they  are  big,  before 
letting  the  family  enjoy  them.  Better  a  few  de- 
licious, small  beans,  than  more  tough,  large  ones. 

Pole  String  Beans.  —  By  developing  the  tendency 
to  grow  long  vines  and  by  careful  choice  of  seed, 


BEANS  63 

several  varieties  of  pole  string  beans  have  been 
brought  out  that  bear  larger  crops  than  the  bush 
varieties.  In  the  small  garden,  space  is  always  a 
consideration.  By  growing  pole  beans  which  are 
prolific  and  which  keep  on  bearing  pods  for  some 
time,  the  gardener  will  get  far  better  returns  for  the 
work  done  and  space  used,  than  from  the  bush  varie- 
ties. 

Kentucky  Wonder  Wax.  —  A  few  years  ago  a 
new  green  pole  bean  appeared  which  attracted  much 
attention  and  spread  rapidly  throughout  the  coun- 
try —  the  Kentucky  Wonder.  It  was  good  as  a 
string  bean  and  also  as  a  shell  bean.  This  remark- 
able bean  has  now  been  developed  into  a  wax  bean  — 
the  Kentucky  Wonder  Wax  bean.  It  begins  to 
bear  almost  as  soon  as  the  bush  beans,  and  delicious 
beans  have  been  picked  in  November  from  vines 
which  began  bearing  in  July.  The  pods  are  pale 
yellow,  very  thick  and  fleshy,  and  have  a  delicious, 
buttery  flavor,  which  make  them  truly  "  butter 
beans." 

The  pods,  of  course,  get  stringy  if  left  on  the  vines 
long,  but  there  is  no  need  to  eat  the  large,  stringy 
ones,  as  the  vine  is  constantly  producing  new  pods. 
If  the  beans  grow  faster  than  you  wish  to  eat  or  can 
them,  several  poles  may  be  left,  to  use  as  shell  beans. 
Eight  poles  are  enough  for  the  average  family. 

There  are  other  good  pole  beans,  such  as  the 
Golden  Cluster,  a  very  early  wax  bean  of  good  qual- 


64  GARDEN  STEPS 

ity;  the  Lazy  Wife,  of  especially  rich  flavor;  and 
the  McCasland,  a  new  bean  much  praised  both  as  a 
string  and  a  shell  bean. 

SHELL  BEANS 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  plant  two  sorts  of  shell  beans 
which  have  been  found  especially  good,  besides 
those  you  try  as  an  experiment.  Follow  the  plan 
of  sticking  to  something  you  know  to  be  good,  but 
always  be  ready  to  try  any  new  plant  which  might 
prove  better  still.  In  this  way  you  avoid  losing  a 
crop  and  also  keep  from  getting  in  a  rut.  Staying  in 
ruts  has  been  a  costly  habit  among  farmers  all  over 
the  world. 

Red  Cranberry  Shell  Bean  or  Horticultural  Bean. 
-  It  is  hard  to  get  a  shell  bean  which  is  surer  to 
give  a  good  crop,  even  during  a  short  season,  than 
the  old-fashioned  Red  Cranberry  bean,  which  now 
appears  all  over  the  country,  in  excellent  strains. 
This  bean  is  most  desirable  for  eating  as  a  shell 
bean  before  it  ripens,  and  after  it  is  ripe  and  dry,  it 
is  excellent  for  baking.  It  ripens  quickly  and  is 
very  hardy.  It  may  be  grown  as  a  bush  bean  or  a 
pole  bean. 

Lima  Beans.  —  Several  desirable  Lima  beans 
brought  out  during  the  past  few  years  have  proved 
valuable.  In  the  northern  states,  where  frost  and 
cold  nights  come  frequently  in  early  June  and  late 
August,  there  is  not  much  hope  of  ripening  Lima 


BEANS 


beans.     Where    there    are    three    months    of   warm 
weather,  however,  there  is  good  hope  of  getting  a 

crop,  and  they  are  so     | . _j 

delicious  and  valu- 
able as  a  food,  that 
the  effort  to  produce 
them  is  well  worth 
while. 

Dreer's  Bush  Lima 
is  a  hardy  sort,  with 
a  small  pod  and 
small  beans  of  ex- 
cellent quality.  It 
ripens  quickly  and 
fills  a  large  number 
of  pods  at  the  same 
time.  Dreer's  Pole 
Lima  is  of  the  same 
nature,  with  small 
pods  and  hardy, 
quick-growing  vines. 

Burpee's  Improved 
Bush  Lima  has  large 
pods,  which  seem  to 
require  more  time 
to  fill  out  in  large  numbers  than  the  smaller  pods. 
The  beans  are  excellent  as  to  flavor.  . 

The  Sieva  Lima  is  a  variety  grown  for  many  years 
by  market  gardeners  in  New  England.     It  is  very 


CORN  AND  BEANS  PLANTED  TOGETHER 
—  A  GOOD  COMBINATION 

The  beans  take  little  nourishment  needed 
by  the  corn.  The  poles  have  swinging  corn 
cobs  to  frighten  birds  away. 


66  GARDEN  STEPS 

prolific  and  shells  out  easily,  having  a  good  color 
and  flavor. 

In  offering  the  Carpenteria  Lima,  its  growers 
called  it  the  most  perfect  Lima  bean  in  existence. 
It  is  very  hardy,  it  ripens  quickly  and  evenly,  and 
it  is  a  prolific  bearer  of  delicious,  large,  green  beans. 

Culture  of  Pole  Beans.  —  First,  procure  the  poles. 
The  best  pole,  and  the  one  most  used  in  country 
places,  is  the  small  cedar  tree.  These  are  not  easy 
to  get  in  towns  today,  though  most  seed  houses 
carry  them  at  about  a  dollar  a  dozen.  The  most 
handy  pole  to  buy  is  scantling  from  the  local  lumber 
yard.  These  cost  about  fifty  cents  for  a  bundle  of 
ten,  in  eight-foot  lengths. 

If  you  use  anything  but  the  cedar  pole,  or  a  sapling 
which  has  knots  and  little  branches,  remember 
that  the  bean  must  have  something  to  rest  on  as  it 
climbs.  Bean  vines  cannot  cling  to  the  smooth  sides 
of  cut  lumber,  and  when  the  vines  are  loaded  they 
will  slide  down,  leaving  the  foliage  in  a  mass  at  the 
bottom,  where  it  will  spot  and  decay.  By  nailing 
bits  of  lath  or  shingle  to  the  pole,  every  foot  or  so, 
you  will  give  the  bean  a  chance  to  keep  up  in  the 
world. 

When  you  have  the  poles  ready,  be  sure  the  ground 
is  well  fertilized  and  well  turned  over.  Get  out 
your  line  and  measure  spots  for  the  poles  at  least 
two  feet  apart  each  way.  Four  feet  is  not  too  much 
if  you  have  the  room,  especially  for  the  Lima  beans. 


BEANS  67 

Take  your  bar  and  drive  holes  eighteen  inches  deep. 
Don't  be  satisfied  with  a  foot,  or  you  will  find  your 
poles  all  down  some  morning  in  August,  after  a  storm. 
The  weight  on  these  poles,  when  the  vines  have 
grown,  is  much  greater  than  you  would  suppose. 
Set  the  poles  in  these  holes,  and  stamp  the  earth 
firmly  about  them. 

For  the  Cranberry  beans  and  Kentucky  Wonders, 
make   six   holes,    eight   inches   from   the   pole,    and 


JACK,  DOING  "HIS  BIT"  ON  SHORE  LEAVE 
Poles  for  Cranberry  pole  beans. 

not  more  than  two  inches  deep.  Into  these  drop 
two  beans  each,  cover,  and  make  the  earth  firm  above 
them.  Add  a  couple  of  holes,  a  trifle  nearer  the 
pole,  and  put  in  four  more  beans,  in  case  you  need 
extra  sprouts.  When  these  have  started  well,  pick 


68  GARDEN  STEPS 

out  the  five  best  plants  and  snip  off  the  other  beans. 
It  is  not  wise  to  let  more  than  five  grow  on  one 
pole,  and  four  will  do  as  well. 

In  planting  Lima  beans,  make  the  earth  very  fine. 
Then  take  a  bean  between  your  thumb  and  finger, 
with  the  eye  down,  and  thrust  it  into  the  soil  the 
length  of  your  finger.  The  root  comes  out  from  the 
eye,  and  if  the  bean  is  above  the  eye,  it  is  in  just  the 
right  position  to  be  forced  up  through  the  earth 
without  delay.  If  the  eye  should  be  uppermost, 
the  root  must  crawl  around  the  bean  before  it  can 
begin  to  push,  and  much  delay  is  the  result.  Time 
is  important  in  growing  Limas. 

Do  not  plant  a  Lima  bean  out  of  doors  until  the 
leaves  on  the  maple  trees  are  well  out,  and  you  are 
sure  the  earth  is  warm.  The  slightest  cold  will 
stop  the  seed  from  sprouting.  It  is  useful,  when  the 
spring  is  late,  to  cut  a  few  pieces  of  sod,  four  inches 
square,  and  put  them  upside  down  in  a  window 
box.  Lima  beans  may  be  thrust  into  the  sod  and 
sprouted  there.  Later  the  sod  may  be  placed  by 
the  pole,  without  in  any  way  hurting  the  tender 
roots.  Few  people  have  much  success  in  trans- 
planting beans  sprouted  in  pots  or  baskets. 

If  the  runners  of  the  Lima  bean  tend  to  spread, 
they  may  be  tied  to  the  pole  with  soft  string.  They 
will  then  go  up  the  pole  as  they  should. 

Along  in  August,  if  the  season  threatens  to  be 
short,  pinch  off  the  ends  of  the  Lima  vines  and  let 


BEANS  69 

the  whole  strength  of  the  vine  go  into  the  pods  ; 
otherwise  many  small  pods,  which  will  never  mature, 
are  likely  to  form  at  the  top  of  the  vine. 

Threshing  Beans.  --If  many  beans  are  left  to 
ripen  for  the  winter,  they  should  stay  on  the  vines 
until  they  are  fully  ripe.  The  vines  should  then  be 
pulled  and  thoroughly  dried.  If  there  is  room  in 
some  sheltered  spot,  like  the  loft,  spread  them  out 
there.  If  such  a  room  is  lacking,  they  may  be  dried 
out  of  doors.  Drive  two  stakes  into  the  ground 
about  fifteen  inches  apart.  Place  a  small  box  on  the 
ground  between  them,  to  keep  the  beans  from  rest- 
ing on  the  ground,  and  pile  the  vines  in  between  the 
two  stakes,  making  the  pile  about  four  feet  high. 
In  two  or  three  weeks  of  fairly  dry  weather,  they  will 
be  ready  to  thresh. 

An  excellent  way  to  thresh  them  is  to  thrust  the 
beans  into  a  grain  sack,  tie  up  the  end,  and  beat  it 
with  a  heavy  stick.  This  should  be  done  when  they 
are  perfectly  dry.  The  beans  will  settle  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sack  when  they  pop  out  of  their  pods. 
Cut  a  small  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  bag  at  the 
corner  and  let  the  beans  run  out.  They  will  escape, 
leaving  the  pods  behind  them. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

BEETS  AND   CHARD 

SOIL 

Importance  of  Right  Kind  of  Soil.  —  No  vegetable 
depends  more  for  its  quality  on  the  nature  of  the 
soil  about  it  than  the  beet.  Beets  will  grow  in 
different  soils  and  will  produce  something  in  the 
way  of  a  crop  even  when  the  soil  is  poor ;  but  such 
beets  are  hardly  fit  for  hash.  To  grow  beets  which 
are  terlder  throughout,  free  from  fiber  and  tough 
spots,  and  which  have  the  sweet  flavor  so  much 
desired  in  these  vegetables,  be  sure  that  the  soil 
where  they  grow  is  rich,  free  from  acid,  and  worked 
into  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 

Fall  Preparation.  --  The  best  way  to  make  sure 
of  perfect  soil  is  to  work  it  over  in  the  fall  and 
mix  a  liberal  application  of  dairy  dressing  well  into 
the  land.  Use  at  least  a  barrow-load  to  a  twenty- 
foot  square.  Then,  in  the  spring,  harrow  in  five  or 
six  pounds  of  agricultural  lime  to  each  twenty-foot 
square.  Just  before  planting,  rake  into  the  row  a 
pound  of  complete  commercial  fertilizer  for  each 
fifty  feet. 

70 


BEETS  AND  CHARD  71 

Fertilizer. --The  advantage  of  the  commercial 
fertilizer  is  its  quick  effect  on  the  seedling.  Being 
pulverized  and  well  mixed  with  the  soil,  it  warms 
the  young  plant  and  gives  the  roots  a  good  start 
before  they  are  able  to  reach  out  and  draw  their 
nourishment  from  the  coarser  dressing  about  them. 
An  examination  of  the  beet  root  will  show  that  it  is 
very  different  from  the  long,  wandering  feeders  of 
the  corn.  Its  main  taproot  goes  straight  down  sev- 
eral inches,  and  the  small  feeders  branch  off  from 
that  only  an  inch  or  two.  This  shows  us  clearly 
that  the  fertilizer  must  be  directly  below  the  beet  and 
must  be  worked  deeply  into  the  earth,  which  is  soft 
and  porous  to  allow  free  passage  for  the  taproot. 

Lime  is  especially  required  for  this  crop,  as  beets 
are  hard  to  develop  where  there  is  acid  in  the  soil. 
Lime  will  neutralize  the  acid,  will  make  the  manure 
in  the  soil  much  more  available  for  the  plant>  will 
help  keep  worms  away,  and  will  make  the  soil  more 
porous  and  fine. 

If  dressing  is  not  available,  twice  as  much  com- 
mercial fertilizer  may  be  used,  and  a  pound  of  ni- 
trate of  soda,  scattered  along  in  the  fifty-foot  rows 
before  planting,  will  help  keep  the  moisture  in  the 
soil  about  the  roots. 

VARIETIES 

Three  varieties  of  beets  are  highly  recommended. 
As  the  seed  is  not  costly  and  the  plants  take  little 


72  GARDEN  STEPS 

space,  it  would  not  be  too  ambitious  to  try  them 
all. 

Egyptian  Blood  Root. --This  beet  has  a  hardy 
nature  and  develops  the  edible  root  while  the  top 
is  still  small.  It  is  universally  recognized  as  the 
best  early  beet  for  the  home  garden.  The  taproot 
is  small,  the  shape  is  round  and  even,  and  the  flesh 
is  a  handsome  dark  red,  of  excellent  flavor.  '  This 
beet  may  be  had  in  various  strains,  according  to 
local  tastes  and  conditions.  In  the  East,  Crosby's 
Egyptian  is  the  most  approved,  and  market  gardeners 
pay  very  high  prices  for  seed  especially  selected  from 
this  strain. 

Detroit  Dark  Red.  —  Many  experiment  stations 
and  departments  of  agriculture  send  out  the  seed 
of  the  Detroit  Dark  Red  beet  for  school  and  home 
gardens.  It  has  a  fixed  type  and  is  of  strong  growth. 
The  dark  red  roots  mature  very  evenly  in  size  and 
shape,  and  the  flavor  is  excellent.  It  takes  rather 
longer  to  mature  than  the  Egyptian  beet,  and  is  an 
excellent  variety  to  grow  for  midsummer  use  and 
for  canning  or  storing  for  winter. 

Edmand's  Early.  -  -  The  Edmand's  Early  beet 
always  finds  an  honored  place  in  the  author's  garden. 
It  has  one  quality  which  makes  it  unusually  adapted 
to  the  home  garden  —  it  grows  large  and  heavy  with- 
out losing  its  tenderness  and  flavor.  Specimens  of 
this  beet  weighing  nearly  two  pounds  have  proved 
of  tender  quality  and  excellent  flavor.  This  is  very 


BEETS  AND  CHARD 


73 


important  in  the  home 
garden,  for  it  is  a  great 
advantage  to  be  able  to 
leave  beets  in  the  ground, 
and  to  pick  them  as  you 
need  to  supply  the  table. 
The  EdmantTs  Early  is 
sweet  and  tender,  excel- 
lent in  every  way  as  a 
main-crop  beet. 

PLANTING 

Time.  — Beets  are  hardy 
and  may  be  planted  early 
as  far  as  cold  spells  are 
concerned  ;  but  the  young 
plant  is  delicate  and  has  not  much  lifting  power. 
If  planted  during  April,  and  left  in  the  ground 
during  a  fortnight  of  cool,  damp  weather,  few  beet 
seeds  will  have  the  strength  to  push  up  through 
earth  thus  hardened  above  them,  and  new  plantings 
will  be  necessary.  It  is  better  to  wait  till* the  ground 
is  soft  and  warm. 

Preparation  of  Soil. --Turn  over  the  earth  to 
make  it  loose,  rake  it  level  with  a  wooden  rake, 
and  lay  off  the  rows.  Then  take  a  piece  of  scant- 
ling six  or  eight  feet  long,  and  lay  it.  along  the  line 
of  the  row.  ,  Tread  this  firmly  into  the  soft  earth, 
making  a  crease  not  over  an  inch  deep.  If  scantling 


EDMAND'S  EARLY  BEETS 


74 


GARDEN  STEPS 


is  not  at  hand,  the  rake  handle  will  do,  though  it 
does  not  give  so  much  space  for  scattering  the  seeds. 
Sow  the  seed,  three  or  four  to  the  inch,  in  this  crease. 
Now  press  the  earth  down  firmly  above  the  seeds 
with  the  rake,  or  walk  over  the  row.  With  the  firm 


PLANTING  BEETS 

Make  the  earth  soft,  then  lay  the  strip  of  scantling,  and  tread  it  in,  to 
make  a  crease  an  inch  deep.     Cover  and  make  the  soil  firm. 

bed  made  beneath  the  seed  by  pressing  in  the  stick, 
and  with  trie  soft  earth  pressed  firmly  about  it  from 
above,  the  seed  will  not  dry  out  if  the  weather  is  hot. 

Before  leaving  the  row,  scatter  just  a  little  soft 
earth  over  it,  or  scratch  the  surface  lightly  with  the 
rake.  This  leaves  a  thin  dust  mulch,  which  will 
keep  the  top  surface  from  drying  out  and  cracking. 

Width  of  Rows.  —  If  there  is  room  in  the  garden, 
it  is  easier  to  care  for  the  beets  in  rows  about 


BEETS  AND  CHARD  75 

eighteen  inches  apart.  They  may,  however,  be 
placed  as  near  as  ten  inches,  if  care  is  taken  in 
working  among  them. 

CULTURE 

Cultivating.  —  As  soon  as  the  sprouts  show  plainly 
in  the  rows,  begin  cultivating.  The  wheel  harrow 
will  serve  well,  if  the  rows  give  room  enough.  Other- 
wise, the  potato-digger  or  a  small  rake  is  needed. 
Keep  the  surface  soil  soft  and  fine,  and  work  it  over 
after  every  rain  as  soon  as  the  surface  moisture  has 
drained  away. 

Thinning  Out.  —  As  the  beets  get  large  enough  to 
pull  for  greens,  thin  them  out,  leaving  them  so  that 
they  do  not  touch  one  another  in  the  row.  By  the 
next  week  they  will  have  grown  enough  to  be  close 
together  again,  and  another  supply  of  greens  may  be 
pulled.  Remember  that  the  little  beets  now  form- 
ing are  the  best  part  of  the  greens  and  should  never 
be  cut  off. 

It  is  not  good  practice  to  thin  beets  for  the  home 
garden  so  that  they  stand  two  or  three  inches  apart 
in  the  row.  That  is  necessary  on  farms,  where  the 
whole  thing  must  be  done  at  one  operation.  In 
the  small  garden,  the  beets  should  be  thinned  every 
few  days  so  that  those  left  do  not  quite  touch  one 
another.  Thus  one  is  provided  with  both  greens  and 
fresh  beets  as  they  develop  in  size,  while  at  the  same 
time  rows  are  left  intact,  producing  the  maximum  crop. 


76  GARDEN  STEPS 

WINTER  CROP 

A  bushel  of  beets  in  the  cellar,  to  add  their  part 
to  the  New  England  boiled  dinner  through  the 
winter,  can  be  provided  by  planting  a  couple  of 
rows  early  in  July.  When  the  cold  weather  ap- 
proaches, pull  them,  cut  off  the  tops,  and  pile  them 
in  the  coolest  part  of  the  cellar  against  the  wall. 
Then  get  some  sandy  loam  and  cover  them,  letting 
it  work  well  down  among  the  beets.  Be  sure  that 
the  spot  where  the  beets  stand  is  dry. 

BEET  ENEMIES 

There  seems  to  be  no  important  disease  to  protect 
beets  against  at  present.  Cutworms  are  fond  of 
young  beets,  but  there  are  usually  so  many  plants 
that  the  harm  they  do  is  small.  If  cutworms  are 
too  numerous,  sprinkle  about  some  cutworm  bait, 
made  as  follows  :  one  half  cup  of  arsenate  of  lead, 
mixed  with  two  quarts  of  bran,  and  wet  with  water 
sweetened  with  molasses.  There  is  a  small  white 
worm  which  gets  into  the  leaves  and  spoils  them  for 
greens.  This  worm  does  little  harm  when  the 
soil  is  well  limed  and  rich  ;  but  if  the  soil  is  acid, 
and  growth  is  slow,  it  may  do  considerable  damage. 

CHARD 

A  Desirable  Addition  to  the  Garden.  --The  broad 
leaves  and  thick,  white  stems  of  well-grown  chard 


BEETS  AND  CHARD 


77 


would  never  lead  one  to  suppose  it  was  a  member  of 
the  beet  family ;  but  the  seed  looks  exactly  like 
beet  seed,  and  the  young  plants  are  also  similar. 
This  beet  is  not  grown  for  the  roots,  but  for  the 
thick,  white  stems  and  broad  leaves. 

Until  it  is  well  grown  chard  may  be  eaten  as  a 
green,  stem  and  leaf  being  boiled  together  till 
tender.  When  the  leaves  and  stalks  develop  to 
full  size,  the  leaves  may  be  boiled  for  greens,  and 
the  stalks  cut  in  pieces  and  creamed,  or  served  with 
butter  like  asparagus.  The  flavor  is  somewhat 
like  asparagus,  somewhat  like  oyster  plant.  Chard 
gives  such  a  constant  supply  of  desirable  food  for 
the  table  that  no  garden  should  be  without  it.  It 
is  very  easy  to  grow,  having  no  disease  and  no  in- 
sect enemies  that  are  likely  to  do  it  much  harm. 
A  row  of  twenty 
feet  will  be  ample 
for  the  ordinary 
family,  as  a  few 
mature  leaves  make 
enough  for  one 
meal. 

Lucullus    Chard. 
-  From    the    ordi- 
nary  chard    a    new 
variety     has     been 

developed,  which  is  far  more  productive  than  the 
common  plant.  This  is  called  Lucullus  Chard.  It 


LUCULLUS  CHARD,  WELL  FERTILIZED, 
MAKES  WONDERFUL  GROWTH 


78  GARDEN  STEPS 

grows  to  a  height  of  two  and  one  half  feet  and  has 
thick,  heavy,  cream-white  stalks.  The  leaf  is  deeply 
crumpled  and  free  from  fiber. 

Culture.  —  Chard  requires  the  same  rich  soil  that 
other  members  of  the  beet  family  thrive  in,  and 
should  be  planted  at  the  same  time,  when  the  ground 
is  warm  and  the  leaves  starting  on  the  early  trees. 
Seed  should  be  planted  rather  thickly  in  grooves 
made  by  pressing  in  the  scantling  or  rake  handle  - 
about  five  seeds  to  the  inch.  As  the  plants  grow, 
they  may  be  thinned  out  and  used  for  greens  at 
any  stage.  When  they  approach  full  size,  they 
should  stand  six  or  seven  inches  apart  in  the  row. 
After  that  no  more  should  be  pulled  out.  The  larger 
leaves  should  be  cut,  one  by  one,  with  a  sharp  knife, 
an  inch  or  two  above  the  root.  New  leaves  will  grow 
to  take  their  places,  keeping  up  a  constant  supply 
till  frost. 


CHAPTER   IX 

THE   CABBAGE  FAMILY 

THERE  are  several  branches  of  the  cabbage  family 
which  are  easy  to  cultivate  in  the  home  garden,  easy 
to  store,  and  very  valuable  as  food. 

This  group  includes  the  standard  cabbage  —  early 
and  late  —  in  many  varieties,  the  cauliflower,  the 
most  delicate  and  delicious  member  of  the  cabbage 
family,  and  Brussels  sprouts. 

CABBAGE 

The  cabbage  develops  a  compact  head  formed  of 
the  leaves,  all  of  which  is  eaten  except  the  outside 
leaves.  In  most  parts  of  the  country  there  is  an 
early  cabbage  crop  of  varieties  which  are  to  be 
eaten  at  once  and  which  cannot  be  stored  long.  Later 
in  the  season  another  crop  is  matured,  which  is 
stored  for  winter  use.  In  the  extreme  South,  how- 
ever, the  season  for  cabbage  is  so  long  that  the 
early  varieties  may  be  seen  growing  almost  every 
month  in  the  year,  as  this  is  one  of  the  hardiest 
plants  and  is  little  hurt  by  moderate  frosts. 

79 


8o 


GARDEN  STEPS 


Spring  and  Summer  Cabbage.  —  Several  varieties 
of  early  cabbage  have  proved  good  for  the  home 
garden.  The  jersey  Wakefield  has  a  long,  suc- 
cessful record  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  it  is 
recommended  everywhere.  It  has  a  rather  small, 
solid,  pointed  head.  The  quality  is  excellent. 

The  Copenhagen  Market,  introduced  from  the 
Danish  peninsula,  is  now  also  receiving  much  at- 
tention. It  is  early, 
and  develops  hard, 
round  heads  of  good 
quality.  It  is  rather 
large  for  the  average 
family,  some  heads 
weighing  tenpounds, 
and  the  flesh  is  per- 
haps not  quite  so 
sweet  and  delicate 
as  the  Wakefield. 

One  fault  of  both 
these  is  that,  if  they 

are  left  in  the  garden,  the  heads  will  split  soon  after 
they  are  ripe.  This  is  unsatisfactory  in  the  home 
garden ;  for  one  wants  to  have  cabbages  now  and 
then,  not  all  at  once,  and  they  cannot  be  pulled  and 
stored  long  during  the  warm  weather.  This  difficulty 
has  been  well  understood  by  specialists,  and  a  new 
cabbage,  Mainstay-Early,  appeared  four  or  five  years 
ago,  which  so  far  has  stood  the  test  of  time  very  well 


COPENHAGEN  MARKET  CABBAGE 


THE   CABBAGE   FAMILY  81 

indeed.  This  cabbage  has  a  small  head,  round 
and  solid,  weighing  from  two  to  three  pounds.  The 
flesh  is  white  and  crisp,  similar  in  most  respects  to 
the  Jersey  Wake  field.  The  special  value  of  the 
Mainstay  lies  in  its  keeping  qualities.  It  will  stay 
in  the  garden  two  or  three  weeks  after  maturity 
without  splitting,-  and  can  be  used  for  the  table 
when  desired. 

Planting  Seed  for  Early  Cabbage. -- The  plants 
for  early  cabbage  should  be  ready  to  set  out  in  the 
field  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  warm.  They  suffer  little 
from  cold  ;  but  there  is  no  real  advantage  in  trans- 
planting them  while  the  ground  is  cold  and  soggy, 
as  there  will  be  no  growth  under  such  conditions. 
In  order  to  have  sturdy  plants  ready  for  setting  out, 
prepare  window  boxes,  or  a  space  in  the  cold  frame, 
at  least  a  month  before  the  plants  will  be  needed. 
Have  rich,  light  soil  in  the  window  box,  three  inches 
deep.  Make  holes  with  a  match  about  one  fourth 
of  an  inch  deep,  an  inch  apart,  and  drop  two  seeds 
into  each  hole. 

Cabbage  seed  sprout  quickly  and  are  usually  of 
vigorous  growth.  Where  two  sprout  in  the  same 
spot,  it  is  better  to  cut  one  off.  This  gives  the  root 
of  each  plant  a  chance  to  grow  unhindered  and 
develop  its  full  strength.  If  the  young  plants  are 
left  close  together,  they  will  shoot  up  tall  and 
spindling,  with  little  strength  of  root  or  stalk.  Be 
sure  that  free  drainage  is  provided  for  all  surplus 


82  GARDEN  STEPS 

water,  as  too  much  water  will  have  the  same  effect 
as  crowding.  Everything  possible  must  be  done  to 
make  the  plant  sturdy. 

Hardening  the  Young  Plants.  —  As  the  weather 
will  still  be  cool  when  the  cabbage  plants  are  set 
in  the  field,  it  is  necessary  to  prepare  them  for  their 
new  home.  To  take  plants  from  a  window  box, 
where  they  have  had  steam  heat  and  protection 
from  all  cold,  and  put  them  into  the  field  suddenly, 
where  the  night  temperature  may  come  danger- 
ously near  the  frost  line,  is  rather  too  much  even  for 
cabbages.  As  the  time  approaches  for  setting  out, 
place  the  window  boxes  outdoors  during  the  daytime 
and  raise  the  covers  of  the  cold  frame.  This  will 
prepare  the  plant  a  bit  for  its  new  environment  and 
check  its  tendency  to  send  up  long,  frail  leaves. 

Soil  and  Cultivation. -- To  get  the  best  results, 
the  soil  for  cabbage  should  be  rich  and  worked  over 
till  it  is  loose  and  fine.  Nothing  seems  to  do  quite 
so  well  as  rotted  dairy  or  stable  dressing.  If  this 
has  been  worked  into  the  soil  the  fall  previous,  the 
ground  will  be  made  perfect  by  scattering  along 
the  rows  a  complete  commercial  fertilizer,  two  or 
three  pounds  to  each  one  hundred  feet.  If  the  dress- 
ing cannot  be  obtained,  use  about  five  pounds  of 
commercial  fertilizer  to  a  one-hundred-foot  row,  and 
work  in  well  at  the  time  of  planting.  Then  work  in 
two  more  applications  of  two  or  three  pounds  each 
while  cultivating  the  growing  crop.  Be  sure  that 


THE  CABBAGE  FAMILY  83 

the  soil  is  prepared  a  week  or  so  before  setting  out 
the  plants,  so  that  it  may  be  loose  and  fine. 

Setting  Out.  —  When  the  plants  are  ready  for  the 
field,  measure  off  the  rows  with  the  garden  line, 
letting  them  run  about  two  feet  apart,  and  plan  to 
have  the  cabbages  about  eighteen  inches  apart  in 
the  row.  Dig  holes  with  the  trowel  four  inches 
deep,  and  remove  sticks  and  stones  so  that  there 
will  be  nothing  but  soft  earth  about  the  roots. 
Pour  into  these  holes  enough  water  to  make  the 
earth  moist,  but  not  muddy.  Set  the  roots  of  the 
plant  so  that  they  will  be  well  spread  out,  a  little 
deeper  than  they  were  in  the  seed  box.  Two  inches 
should  be  deep  enough,  but  if  the  plant  is  tall  it 
may  be  set  three  inches  deep,  not  more. 

Some  people  use  a  dibble,  or  round  stick,  to  make 
the  holes  in  setting  out  the  young  plants.  This  is 
not  so  desirable  as  the  trowel,  for  the  inexperienced 
gardener.  There  is  constant  danger  of  getting  the 
roots  bunched  together  and  damaged,  in  thrusting 
them  into  the  small  holes.  By  opening  a  larger  hole 
with  the  trowel,  one  makes  sure  that  the  roots  are 
well  spread  out  and  free  from  objects  that  may  ob- 
struct their  growth.  Before  putting  into  the  ground, 
trim  off  two  or  three  of  the  outside  leaves. 

Late  Cabbage.  --The  Danish  Ball  Head  cabbage 
is  the  leading  variety  for  winter  use  in  America. 
This  variety  was  perfected  by  the  Danes,  who  lead 
the  world  in  cabbage  growing  and  supply  most  of 


84 


GARDEN  STEPS 


the   seed   for   this   country.     It  forms   very   heavy, 
solid  heads,  which  develop  well  in  cool  climates,  and 

keep   all   winter.     It 

is,  however,  rather 
lacking  in  tenderness 
and  delicate  flavor. 

There  are  other 
varieties  of  fine  qual- 
ity, which  develop 
solid  heads  and  keep 
well.  Among  these, 
the  Savoy  cabbage 
SAVOY  CABBAGE  will  give  the  home 

gardener  great  satis- 
faction. It  has  a  solid  head  of  delicate,  white  flesh, 
and  is  free  from  the  pungent  flavor  rather  common 
in  cabbage. 

Planting  Late  Cabbage.  —  For  winter  cabbage, 
the  seed  may  be  planted  during  June  in  a  prepared 
seed  bed,  or  in  the  open  field.  If  the  ground  is  not 
occupied  by  other  crops  when  the  time  for  planting 
comes,  it  is  best  to  start  the  seed  in  the  place  where 
the  plants  are  going  to  stay.  In  the  early  spring 
there  is  little  trouble  in  transplanting ;  the  weather 
is  cool  and  rains  are  frequent.  In  midsummer, 
conditions  are  very  different.  The  earth  is  hot 
and  the  sun  is  hot;  the  weather  may  be  hot  and 
dry  for  several  days  together.  Under  these  condi- 
tions it  is  not  easy  to  transplant  even  cabbages,  and 


THE  CABBAGE  FAMILY  85 

give  them  a  good  start.  If  they  are  already  well 
rooted  in  their  permanent  location  when  the  hot  days 
come,  they  are  indifferent  to  a  drought  and  keep 
right  ahead. 

If  you  plan  to  leave  the  plants  where  they  are 
sprouted,  measure  the  rows  three  feet  apart  for  the 
large,  late  varieties,  and  plant  four  or  five  seeds  in 
each  spot,  a  half  inch  deep  and  an  inch  or  so  apart. 
These  seed  groups  should  be  two  feet  apart  in  the 
row.  When  the  seeds  sprout,  thin  them  out,  finally 
leaving  the  strongest  plant  at  each  spot. 

If  on  the  ground  you  are  to  use  for  late  cabbages 
you  have  peas  and  other  plants  to  be  pulled  out  in 
July,  plant  the  cabbage  seed  in  a  small  space,  well 
enriched  and  worked  over  carefully  for  a  seed  bed. 
Do  not  sow  too  close  ;  sow  thinly,  a  half  an  inch  deep, 
and  an  inch  apart.  Plan  to  have  enough  seedlings 
to  replace  those  which  are  lost  in  transplanting. 
Don't  forget  the  importance  of  giving  the  young 
plants  plenty  of  room,  and  of  transplanting  them 
before  they  get  tall  and  spindling. 

When  the  plants  are  firmly  rooted  in  the  rows, 
cultivate  carefully  and  keep  cultivating  till  fall. 
In  planning  the  cabbage  crop,  remember  that  the 
ordinary  family  will  not  eat  more  than  one  good 
head  a  week,  on  the  average.  Thirty  or  forty  heads 
should  make  an  ample  supply. 

Cabbage  Enemies.  —  When  the  first  leaves  of 
the  cabbage  develop,  it  frequently  happens  that  a 


86 


GARDEN  STEPS 


small  black  fly  appears  also.  This  may  be  kept 
away  by  dusting  the  plants  early  in  the  morning, 
before  the  dew  is  off,  with  wood  ashes,  tobacco  dust, 
or  fine,  dry  plaster.  Do  not  put  much  on  at  one 

time.  If  it  cakes  on  the 
leaves,  it  will  fill  up  the 
pores  and  do  a  good  deal 
of  harm. 

During  warm  weather, 
the  louse  may  also  attack 
the  cabbage  plants.  He 
gathers  in  little  green  clus- 
ters near  the  base  of  the 
leaves,  and  sucks  the  sap 
that  should  go  to  the  grow- 
ing plant.  Poison  will  not 
do  him  much  harm,  because 
he  does  not  eat  the  leaves. 
He  thrusts  his  little  beak 
down  into  the  veins  of  the 
plant,  where  poison  does 
not  go.  Persian  insect 
powder,  blown  among  the 

leaves  or  sprayed  on  with  water,  will  kill  these  lice. 
Kerosene  emulsion  or  whale-oil  soap  will  also  keep 
them  away. 

The  fly  and  the  louse  will  prove  only  occasional 
disturbers  in  the  cabbage  patch,  but  the  little  green 
cabbage  worm  is  almost  always  on  hand  and  has 


As  the  cabbage  is  "heading  up" 
and  the  use  of  poison  is  discon- 
tinued, the  stray  worms  may 
easily  be  picked  off  by  hand. 


THE  CABBAGE   FAMILY  87 

his  best  appetite  with  him.  This  green  cabbage 
worm  came  from  Germany  some  years  ago,  and  his 
one  ambition  is  to  swallow  everything  in  sight. 
The  cabbage  worm  grows  very  rapidly,  and  soon 
fills  his  skin  so  full  that  it  cracks  and  peels  off, 
while  he  crawls  out  in  a  brand  new  skin,  much  larger 
than  the  old  one,  ready  for  another  feast  of  cabbages. 

Fortunately  this  ravenous  creature  is  easily  con- 
trolled. Spray  the  plants  with  Pyrox,  or  arsenate 
of  lead,  and  that  will  be  his  final  feast.  There  is 
little  danger  from  using  this  spray,  as  the  heads 
expand  from  the  growth  of  the  inner  leaves,  and 
the  leaves  sprayed  during  growth  will  not  be  eaten. 
It  would  not  be  wise,  of  course,  to  spray  just  before 
gathering;  but  this  is  not  necessary,  as  the  worm 
can  do  little  harm  to  the  grown  plant,  if  it  has  been 
well  sprayed  when  growing.  We  might  add  that  the 
pretty,  little  yellow  butterfly  is  the  mother  of  all 
these  green  worms.  The  more  yellow  butterflies 
you  catch,  the  fewer  green  worms  will  be  left  to 
eat  cabbage. 

Clubroot.  —  A  disease  called  clubroot  often  de- 
stroys cabbages,  and  when  the  plant  is  once  in- 
fected there  is  no  way  of  curing  it.  The  roots 
become  enlarged,  and  the  plant  becomes  stunted. 
The  best  way  to  fight  clubroot  is  to  change  the  cab- 
bage patch  each  year,  and  also  the  §eed  bed.  The 
germs  of  the  disease  linger  from  year  to  year,  and 
may  attack  new  plants  growing  in  the  same  spot. 


88  GARDEN  STEPS 

One  might  suppose  that,  with  all  these  enemies  in 
the  path,  the  way  to  a  successful  harvest  would  be 
beset  with  dangers  ;  few  gardeners,  however,  will  ex- 
perience much  trouble  in  getting  a  good  crop.  The 
cabbage  fights  hard  for  its  own  existence  and,  with 
a  little  help,  will  thrive  and  develop  safely. 

Storing  Winter  Cabbage.  —  If  there  is  a  furnace 
in  the  cellar,  it  is  quite  likely  that  the  cellar  will  be 
too  warm  and  dry  to  keep  cabbage.  If  there  is  a 
room  away  from  the  furnace,  it  may  be  satisfactory 
to  pack  the  cabbages  in  barrels  there.  Do  not  cut 
off  the  roots.  Leave  a  few  outside  leaves  to  pro- 
tect the  head,  and  pack  closely  together,  roots  up. 
Cover  the  barrel  with  a  bag  to  keep  out  the  air. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  store  them  outdoors.  You 
may  sink  a  barrel  or  box  in  the  ground,  below  the 
frost  line,  and  put  the  heads  in  that,  covering  with 
straw  and  earth.  Keep  out  water  as  well  as  the  cold. 

Where  you  have  a  fair  number  of  heads,  it  is  more 
practical  to  make  a  long  pile  of  them  and  cover  them 
with  earth.  Trim  off  the  outer  leaves,  lay  them, 
roots  up,  in  a  row,  three  wide  at  the  bottom  and 
two  on  top.  Then  pile  fine,  loose  soil  over  them, 
working  it  well  in  between  the  heads.  Be  sure  the 
place  where  they  stand  is  drained,  so  that  water  will 
not  lie  about  them.  Over  the  earth,  which  should  be 
at  least  a  foot  thick  in  cold  climates,  pile  straw  or 
corn  fodder,  which  will  keep  the  earth  from  freezing 
very  hard. 


THE  CABBAGE   FAMILY  89 

CAULIFLOWER 

Cauliflower  is  not  so  easy  to  raise  as  cabbage,  but 
it  is  so  much  enjoyed  by  most  people  that  the  extra 
effort  to  grow  it  is  well  worth  while.  For  this  plant, 
the  soil  should  be  very  rich  and  well  filled  with 
humus,  as  success  depends  upon  a  constant  supply 


SNOWBALL  CAULIFLOWER 

of  moisture  at  the  root.  In  fact,  the  average  gar- 
dener has  not  had  much  luck  in  getting  good  heads 
of  cauliflower,  chiefly  for  lack  of  the  proper  amount 
of  moisture. 

Varieties.  —  Lately  a  new  variety  has  been  de- 
veloped in  Denmark,  the  home  of  almost  all  valued 
members  of  the  cabbage  group,  which  forms  good 
heads  under  the  conditions  which-  prevail  in  the 
ordinary  American  garden.  This  variety,  called  the 
Dry  weather  cauliflower,  is  especially  recommended 


90  GARDEN  STEPS 

for  that  reason.  Other  good  types  are  the  Erfurt 
and  the  Snowball,  which  produce  well  if  given  ex- 
pert care. 

Culture.  —  As  the  hot,  dry  weather  of  the  Ameri- 
can midsummer  is  likely  to  spoil  the  heads  which  are 
forming  at  that  time,  it  is  better  to  plant  rather  late 
-  some  time  in  June.  Then  the  heads  will  not  be 
forming  until  the  hottest  days  are  passed,  and  they 
can  get  the  benefit  of  the  cool  autumn  rains.  An- 
other good  reason  for  delaying  this  crop  is  the  gen- 
erous menu  provided  by  the  ordinary  garden  in  mid- 
summer. There  is  no  lack  of  fresh  vegetables  then, 
but  in  the  fall  the  addition  of  a  new  dish  like  cauli- 
flower will  be  welcome. 

Cauliflowers  may  be  planted  by  the  method 
used  for  cabbage  and  may  be  transplanted  in  the 
same  way.  The  seed,  however,  is  very  expensive, 
and  every  care  should  be  taken  to  waste  none  of 
the  young  plants.  Though  the  seed  is  small,  it 
sprouts  quickly  and  has  strong  growth ;  so  no  fear 
need  be  felt  in  planting  it  in  the  garden,  a  half  an 
inch  deep,  if  the  soil  is  well  worked  and  fine.  Set 
the  plants  two  feet  apart  in  the  rows.  They  need 
the  same  space  as  large  cabbages. 

When  the  white  head  begins  to  form,  gather  the 
leaves  together,  so  that  they  will  protect  it  from  the 
sun  and  wind.  Tie  them  in  place  with  a  soft  string. 
Do  work  of  this  kind  in  the  afternoon  of  a  fair  day, 
if  possible.  In  the  morning  or  on  wet  days,  the 


THE   CABBAGE   FAMILY  91 

leaves  are  likely  to  be  full  of  sap  and  brittle.  In 
that  condition  they  will  break,  if  bent  over  very 
much. 

Cauliflower  cannot  be  stored  very  long,  as  cab- 
bage can.  The  delicate  white  flesh  will  become  dis- 
colored, and  the  flavor  will  grow  rather  strong.  It 
will,  however,  stand  the  cold ;  and  the  heads,  if 
covered  well  with  the  leaves,  continue  to  grow  in  the 
field  after  some  nights  of  sharp  frost.  There  is  no 
need  to  take  them  in  until  the  weather  is  actually 
freezing.  If  the  heads  begin  to  spread  apart,  pick 
them  at  once,  as  they  will  soon  spoil. 

Enemies.  —  Cauliflower  suffers  from  the  same 
enemies  that  attack  cabbage,  and  it  can  be  pro- 
tected in  the  same  way.  The  poison,  however, 
should  not  be  continued  long  after  the  head  begins 
to  form,  as  it  would  be  likely  to  work  inside  the  leaves. 
What  few  worms  appear  after  that  can  be  picked 
off  before  they  have  done  much  harm. 

BRUSSELS  SPROUTS 

Brussels  sprouts  are  really  tiny  cabbages  which 
grow  clustered  about  a  heavy  stalk.  Each  develops 
a  little  green,  compact  head,  about  as  large  as  a 
tulip  bulb.  Brussels  sprouts  are  planted  and  handled 
the  same  as  cabbages,  and  need  the  same  room  in  the 
garden,  about  two  feet,  in  rows  two  feet  or  more 
apart.  |$g 

The  young  plants  are  a  bit  more  delicate  than  the 


GARDEN  STEPS 


cabbage  plant  but,  when 
mature,  even  severe  cold 
does  them  little  harm.  Ex- 
cept in  the  extreme  northern 
states,  they  may  be  left  in 
the  garden  till  Christmas, 
and  cut  off  as  needed.  The 
best  way  to  prepare  them 
for  the  table  is  to  boil  them 
till  tender,  and  serve  with 
butter  and  salt,  or  vinegar. 
There  is  little  profit  for  the 
amateur  in  growing  sprouts 
to  sell.  For  home  use,  the 
late  planting  is  the  best ;  as 
sprouts  from  seed  planted 
in  June  will  mature  when 
other  vegetables  are  going 
by  in  the  home  garden. 

The  sprouts  come  mostly 
at  the  base  of  the  heavy 
leaves,  which  grow  along 
the  stalk.  If  these  leaves 

are  carefully  pulled  off,  nearly  up  to  the  top  of  the 
stalk,  it  will  give  the  little  cabbages  a  better  chance 
to  develop.  4 

KOHL-RABI 

Kohl-rabi    is    a   member  of    the    cabbage   family 
which  has  a  habit  of  growth  much  like  that  of  the 


BRUSSELS  SPROUTS 


THE  CABBAGE  FAMILY  93 

turnip.  The  edible  part  is  a  bulb  which  forms  on 
the  stem  just  above  the  ground. 

This  plant  is  little  known  as  yet  in  America,  and 
few  have  tasted  it  at  its  best,  because  the  ordinary 
kohl-rabi  found  in  the  markets  is  overgrown  and 
tough.  If  it  is  planted  in  rich  soil,  grown  quickly, 
and  picked  before  the  skin  gets  tough,  it  is  very  deli- 
cate and  desirable.  It  matures  quickly,  however, 
and  soon  becomes  tough,  coarse,  and  stringy. 

Varieties.  -  -  The  Vienna  kohl-rabi,  both  the 
white  and  the  purple,  is  widely  used  for  domestic 
food.  The  White  Vienna  is  about  two  inches  in 
diameter  when  at  its  best  stage,  and  a  pale  green 
color.  The  Purple  Vienna  is  larger,  has  a  dull  red, 
or  purple  color,  and  matures  a  bit  later. 

Culture.  — Plant  in  drills  two  feet  apart  or  in  a  seed 
bed,  and  handle  like  cabbage,  setting  out  in  rows  two 
feet  apart  and  six  or  eight  inches  apart  in  the  row. 

Several  plantings  should  be  put  in  if  kohl-rabi  is 
desired  at  its  best.  The  first  may  be  as  early  as  for 
peas  or  cabbage,  and  successive  plantings  may  be 
made  every  two  weeks. 

Kohl-rabi  may  be  stored  for  winter  use  like  tur- 
nips, and  for  that  purpose  should  be  planted  late 
in  June  or  early  in  July. 


CHAPTER  X 

CARROTS   AND   PARSNIPS 

CARROTS 

As  will  be  seen  in  the  illustration,  carrots  may 
be  had  in  several  different  shapes,  from  the  Golden 
Ball  to  the  Long  Orange.  Where  the  soil  is  partly 
clay  and  tends  to  become  hard,  the  short  varieties 
are  to  be  chosen.  The  long  types  succeed  only  where 
the  soil  is  deep  and  light.  As  the-  average  family 
does  not  eat  many  carrots,  and  as  they  do  not 
vary  greatly  in  quality,  one  or  two  types  for  a  season 
should  be  sufficient.  A  fifty-foot  row  of  the  large 
varieties  will  provide  enough  for  the  table  during 
the  summer  and  leave  a  store  for  winter  use. 

Types.  -—  The  small  round  carrots,  illustrated  by 
the  Golden  Ball,  are  the  earliest.  They  are  easy  to 
grow  and  hardy.  When  mature  they  are  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  in  diameter. 

The  Early  Scarlet  Horn  is  not  quite  so  early  as  the 
Golden  Ball.  It  averages  three  inches  long  and  is 
about  as  large  at  the  bottom  as  at  the  top. 

A  little  later  still  comes  the  Oxheart,  three  inches 
long  and  slightly  tapering.  This  is  a  very  profitable 

94 


CARROTS   AND   PARSNIPS 


HORN 


LI 


varety 

for  the 

home  garden,  as  it  grows 

well  in  various  soils  and 

locations  and  produces  heavy  crops. 

The  Chantenay  and  Long  Orange  are  late 
varieties,  shaped  as  in  the  illustration. 
The  Long  Orange  does  well  only  in  light, 
porous  soils, 

The  Danvers  Half-long  carrot  is  prob- 

J  r  LONG  ORANGE 

ably  grown  by  market  gardeners  in  this 
country  more  than  all  the  others  put  together.     Its 
habit  of  growth  adapts  it  to  almost  all  soils,  and  it 
produces  wonderful  crops  if  given  good  soil  and  good 
treatment. 

Planting.  --The  soil  for  carrots  must  be  prepared, 
in  general,  the  same  as  for  beets,  though  it  is  pos- 
sible to  get  fair  carrots  from  soil  where  beets  would 
not  do  well.  Work  it  over  thoroughly  in  the  fall 
with  two  or  three  barrow-loads  of  dairy  dressing,  if 
possible.  If  commercial  fertilizer  mu$t  be  depended 
on,  dig  five  pounds  to  the  fifty-foot  row  well  into 
the  earth,  shortly  before  planting. 


96 


GARDEN   STEPS 


Carrots  may  be  planted  as  soon  as  the  soil  is  loose 
and  warm.  The  seeds  are  very  small,  but  they  come 
up  with  astonishing  vigor  if  the  bed  is  well  prepared. 
The  rows  may  be  from  one  foot  to  three  feet  apart, 
according  to  the  space  you  have  and  the  method  of 
cultivation  you  wish  to  use.  When  the  soil  is  loose 

and  fine,  lay  off  the 
rows  and  make  a 
crease  in  the  earth 
by  pressing  in  a  piece 
of  scantling  or  the 
rake  handle,  along 
the  marking  line. 

In  this  crease, 
which  should  be 
about  half  an  inch 
deep,  scatter  the 
seeds  thinly,  four 
or  five  to  the  inch. 
With  the  garden 
sieve,  sift  enough 
rich,  light  soil  over 

the  seeds  to  fill  up  the  groove.  Press  this  down 
firmly  to  make  a  snug  bed  of  earth.  Then  sift  a 
little  soft  earth  above  it,  to  keep  the  surface  water 
from  too  rapid  evaporation. 

Culture.  -  -  When  the  carrots  are  an  inch  high, 
cultivation  should  begin.  Take  care  to  avoid 
covering  the  slender  plants  with  dirt.  At  three 


Carrots  may  be  left  close  together  and  then 
pulled  as  they  increase  in  size. 


CARROTS   AND   PARSNIPS  97 

inches  they  should  be  thinned  out  so  that  they 
stand  an  inch  apart,  or  a  little  less,  and  the  ground 
about  them  should  be  worked  over  carefully  with 
a  trowel,  to  keep  it  soft  and  free  from  weeds.  About 
this  time  it  is  advisable  to  scatter  a  pound  or  two  of 
fertilizer  along  the  row,  to  keep  the  growth  steady. 
As  soon  as  the  plants  begin  to  touch  each  other,  the 
larger  ones  may  be  pulled  for  table  use.  Keep 
thinning  in  this  manner  during  the  summer,  and 
you  will  find  that  the  row  is  practically  full  when 
the  time  comes  for  fall  digging. 

As  cold  weather  approaches,  dig  out  the  carrots 
with  the  spading  fork,  working  at  right  angles  to 
the  row  to  avoid  bruising  the  roots.  Put  them  down 
cellar,  in  the  coolest  part,  and  cover  them  with  light, 
sandy  loam. 

Hostile  Worms.  —  Cutworms  sometimes  deal  havoc 
in  rows  of  carrots.  They  are  especially  active  if 
the  weather  is  hot  and  dry.  If  they  appear  in  force, 
use  the  cutworm  bait,  made  from  bran  and  arsenate 
of  lead.  A  brilliant  worm  in  yellow  and  black 
appears  on  the  carrot  tops  in  summer.  The  worst 
thing  about  it  is  the  smell,  as  it  does  not  hurt  the 
crop  much  under  ordinary  conditions.  Do  not 
catch  it  in  the  bare  hands,  however,  as  it  gives  off  a 
brown  fluid  that  smells  for  a  week.  Knock  it  off 
with  a  stick  and  step  on  it. 


98 


GARDEN  STEPS 


PARSNIPS 

Parsnip  Seed.  —  Parsnips  are  easy  to  grow  and 
care   for   when    they    are   once   well ,  started.     Well 

begun  is  more  than  half 
done  with  parsnips.  The 
seed  has  little  vitality  at 
best,  and,  unless  it  is  of 
the  very  first  quality  and 
fresh,  it  probably  will  not 
have  strength  enough  to 
sprout.  Some  kinds  of 
seed,  if  they  are  not  all 
used,  may  be  kept  over  for 
the  second  season  and  give 
good  results,  though  this 
is  not  recommended.  Pars- 
nips, however,  should  al- 
ways be  purchased  fresh 
each  year  from  a  seed  house 
which  thinks  too  much  of 
its  reputation  to  sell  last 
year's  seeds. 

Varieties.  —  If  you  have 
no  spot  in  the  garden  where 
the  soil  is  a  foot  deep,  fine 
and  loose  and  full  of  humus,  the  wisdom  of  trying  to 
grow  the  common,  Hollow  Crown  parsnip  at  all  is 
doubtful.  This  parsnip  has  a  long,  tapering  root. 


HOLLOW  CROWN  PARSNIPS 


CARROTS  AND  PARSNIPS  99 

If  there  is  any  clod  of  earth  or  stone  in  the  way,  it  will 
separate  into  several  small  roots  and  be  of  little  value. 
Fortunately  there  is  a  different  type,  the  Offenham 
Market  parsnip,  which  will  do  well  in  the  average  soil. 
The  Offenham  Market  parsnip  is  shaped  a  good  deal 
like  a  boy's  top.  It  has  a  heavy  shoulder,  being 
frequently  three  inches  across  at  the  top,  and  its 
short  taproot  has  no  difficulty  in  developing  in 
ordinary  soil.  The  flesh  is  not  white  like  that  of 
the  Hollow  Crown  variety,  but  of  a  butter  color, 
and  it  is  heavy  in  sugar.  Even  the  large  specimens, 
weighing  well  over  a  pound,  develop  without  tough 
cores.  Easy  to  prepare  for  the  table,  with  little 
waste,  this  parsnip  has  everything  to  recommend 
it  for  the  small  garden.  Parsnips  may  be  boiled  and 
served  with  butter  or  cream ;  they  may  be  mashed 
like  turnip ;  or  they  may  be  roasted  with  meat  in 
the  oven. 

Preparation  of  the  Soil.  —  Soil  for  parsnips  need 
not  be  so  very  rich,  as  they  have  all  the  season  in 
which  to  grow,  and  it  is  possible  to  make  them 
coarse  by  overgrowth.  The  soil  must,  though, 
be  soft  and  deep,  free  from  stones,  and  well  turned 
over. 

A  couple  of  barrow-loads  of  dressing  worked  into 
a  fifty-foot  row  the  fall  previous,  or  eight  pounds  of 
complete  commercial  fertilizer  dug  in  shortly  be- 
fore planting,  will  be  sufficient,  if  the  soil  was  pre- 
viously in  good  condition. 


100  GARDEN  STEPS 

Planting.  --In  planting  parsnips  one  has  to  choose 
between  difficulties.  If  the  seed  is  put  in  too  early, 
the  cold  earth  above  it  may  hold  it  under  till  it  rots. 
If  one  waits  till  the  earth  is  thoroughly  warm,  as 
one  does  for  carrots  and  beets,  a  warm,  dry  spell  may 
shrivel  the  seed  and  thus  end  its  young  life.  The 
safest  plan  for  most  localities  is  to  plant  parsnips 
about  a  week  before  you  intend  to  put  in  beets  and 
carrots. 

Dig  the  row  over  thoroughly  with  the  spading 
fork  and  rake  it  level  and  free  from  lumps  and  stones. 
Then  make  rows  eighteen  inches  apart  and,  with  a 
sharp  stick,  open  a  furrow  about  one  inch  deep. 
Into  this  drop  at  least  two  seeds  to  the  inch  and  draw 
the  earth  back  firmly  about  the  seed,  preferably 
with  the  hands.  Rake  over  the  top  of  the  row  care- 
fully with  the  wooden  rake,  after  sprinkling  two  or 
three  handfuls  of  commercial  fertilizer  above  the 
seed  to  help  it  start.  If  the  season  is  dry,  the  row 
should  be  thoroughly  watered  at  least  once  a  week 
if  it  is  possible  to  do  so.  It  is  better  to  water  well 
once  a  week  than  lightly  twice  a  week.  The  rows 
will  probably  need  cultivation  before  the  plants 
show  clearly.  A  few  radish  seeds,  dropped  here  and 
there  in  the  row,  will  sprout  quickly  and  serve  as  a 
guide  in  cultivating. 

The  first  leaves  of  the  parsnip  are  light  green  and 
shaped  like  the  first  leaves  of  the  beet.  They  re- 
semble very  much  the  weeds  about  them.  The 


CARROTS  AND  PARSNPP3  -••-'  •' Vii'OTT 

later,  or  true  leaf,  can  be  easily  recognized.  It  is 
shaped  like  a  palm  leaf  fan,  with  sharply  notched 
edges.  Nothing  else  in  the  row  will  be  likely  to 
resemble  it, 

SPECIAL  METHODS  OF  PLANTING  PARSNIPS 

If  the  ground  where  parsnips  are  to  be  planted'  is 
weedy,  and  the  seeds  are  likely  to  be  choked,  it  is 
possible  to  sow  the  seed  in  the  cold  frame,  and  then 
transplant  to  the  rows.  The  long  root  makes  it 
easy  to  get  them  started  in  the  new  ground. 

Be  sure  that  the  earth  is  soft  and  turned  deep. 
Then  drive  the  bar  down  six  or  eight  inches,  making 
the  holes  four  inches  apart.  Fill  the  holes  with 
water.  When  it  has  soaked  in,  set  the  parsnips 
carefully  in  the  holes.  Be  sure  that  the  fine  end  of 
the  root  drops  straight  down  its  entire  length,  and 
that  the  moist  earth  is  gathered  firmly  about  it. 

Gardeners  of  long  experience  get  fancy  parsnips 
by  preparing  the  earth  beneath  the  roots  with  a 
bar.  When  the  row  is  spaded  and  made  fine,  they 
drive  deep  holes  with  a  crowbar,  four  or  five  inches 
apart.  These  are  then  filled  with  fine,  rich  earth. 
At  the  top,  the  seeds  are  planted,  two  or  three  to 
the  hole.  As  the  long  taproots  go  down,  they  find 
the  passage  clear  below  them,  and  extra  smooth 
roots  are  the  result. 

Culture.  —  When  two  inches  high,  parsnips  should 
be  cultivated  carefully  with  a  trowel  and  all  weeds 


^GARDEN  STEPS 

removed,  while  the  plants  are  thinned  to  stand  three 
inches  apart  in  the  row.  They  need  no  further  care, 
except  cultivation,  to  ripen  the  crop,  and  there  is 
no  disease  or  pest  which  greatly  disturbs  the  pars- 
nip. If  the  web-worm  appears,  a  spray  of  arsenate 
of  lead  will  dispose  of  it. 

Storing. — When  fall  sets  in,  dig  what  parsnips 
you  wish  to  use  before  the  ground  thaws  in  the  spring, 
and  put  them  down  cellar.  Cover  them  with 
earth  near  the  carrots  and  beets.  The  rest  may  be 
left  in  the  ground  and  will  be  improved  in  flavor 
after  a  winter  in  the  garden.  Be  sure  that  water  does 
not  stand  over  the  row,  so  that  it  will  freeze  and 
thaw  near  the  parsnip  tops,  as  it  will  rot  them.  A 
thin  mulch  of  leaves,  directly  over  the  row,  will 
shed  the  water. 

All  parsnips  left  in  the  ground  should  be  dug  as 
soon  as  the  earth  thaws  in  the  spring,  as  they  soon 
sprout  and  become  unfit  for  the  table.  Roots  left 
in  the  garden  will  grow  a  great  many  seeds  which 
will  be  scattered  about  by  the  wind ;  these,  now 
that  you  don't  want  them  to,  will  sprout  freely  and 
interfere  with  other  crops.  Parsnips  growing  wild 
this  way  are  considered  poisonous. 


WHITE  PLUME  CELERY 

CHAPTER  XI 

CELERY 

HAVE  you  a  damp  spot  in  the  garden  where  a  drain 
runs  out,  or  a  low  piece  which  is  moist  but  well 
drained  ?  If  you  have,  you  can  grow  good  celery 
there.  It  is  not  difficult  to  produce  the  best  of 
celery,  if  the  land  is  rich  and  moist,  but  there  is 
little  hope  of  a  crop  if  both  these  conditions,  are  not 
present. 

CELERY  TYPES 

Each  year  the  problem  of  celery  growing  becomes 
easier  for  the  amateur.  Formerly  this  crop  required 
long,  patient  attention  throughout- nearly  a  year. 
The  seed  was  sown  in  February,  and  the  crop  finally 
stored  away  late  in  the  following  fall.  New  types, 

103 


104  GARDEN  STEPS 

however,  have  been  developed,  which  mature  more 
rapidly  and  require  much  less  care  than  the  late 
varieties  formerly  grown. 

White  Plume.  —  One  of  the  most  hardy  and 
earliest  varieties  of  celery  is  the  White  Plume.  It 
may  be  planted  in  the  cold  frame  in  April  and  will 
be  ready  for  the  table  by  the  last  of  August.  It  is 
popular  in  many  places  because  it  is  handsome  and 
easy  to  grow;  but  it  has  a  flavor  which  is  likely  to 
be  strong,  except  under  the  most  favorable  condi- 
tions. 

Paris  Golden  Self-Blanching.  —  Another  type 
which  is  equally  hardy  and  nearly  as  early,  with  a 
superior  flavor,  is  the  Paris  Golden.  This  variety 
of  celery  has  large,  sturdy,  brittle  stalks  of  excellent 
flavor  and  of  a  light  yellow  color.  The  term  "  self- 
blanching  "  does  not  mean,  as  one  might  suppose, 
that  the  celery  blanches  of  its  own  accord  ;  it  means 
that  it  blanches  quickly  and  easily  when  properly 
protected  from  the  light  and  air. 

Boston  Market.  —  We  often  see  bunches  of  rather 
short,  stubby  celery  stalks  in  the  stores,  and  are 
surprised  to  find  that  these  cost  more  than  other 
far  more  handsome  bunches  about  them.  This  is 
Boston  Market  celery,  the  most  delicate  and  most 
approved  celery  for  the  table.  It  requires  a  good  deal 
of  care  to  bring  it  to  perfection  ;  but  it  is  worth  the 
trouble  if  one  is  in  a  position  to  take  some  extra 
pains  with  this  crop. 


CELERY  105 

Giant  Pascal.  —  For  the  ordinary  garden,  Giant 
Pascal  constitutes  perhaps  the  most  satisfactory 
late  variety.  It  is  of  stocky  growth  and  forms 
large  bunches  of  thick,  brittle  stalks,  which  keep 
well  till  late  into  the  winter. 

METHOD  OF  GARDEN  CULTURE 

For  the  beginner  with  small  facilities  for  planting 
early  seeds,  the  celery  plants  which  are  for  sale  in 
all  seed  stores  during  late  June  and  early  July 
make  the  easiest' and  most  practical  start  for  the  crop. 
Celery  seed  is  very  small,  delicate,  arid  slow  to  ger- 
minate. If  the  gardener  wishes  to  grow  his  own 
plants,  however,  the  following  directions  will  prob- 
ably bring  success  if  carefully  followed. 

Celery  from  Seed.  —  In  March,  prepare  a  window 
box  with  three  inches  of  sifted,  rich  soil.  This  soil 
must  be  light  and  full  of  thoroughly  rotted  dressing. 
Earth  which  packs  down  when  .  wet  will  not  do. 
Moisten  this  soil,  after  it  is  smooth  and  firm  in  the 
box.  Then  make  creases  across  the  box  three  inches 
apart,  by  pressing  in  a  stick  about  as  large  as  a  pencil. 
These  grooves  should  be  no  deeper  than  half  the 
diameter  of  a  pencil. 

Sow  the  seed  thinly  in  these  creases,  five  or  six 
seeds  'to  the  inch.  Then  sift  over  them  just  enough 
of  the  lightest  soil  to  cover  them.  This  soil  must  be 
kept  moist,  but  do  not  use  enough  water  at  any  one 
time  to  wash  the  soil  away.  A  good  plan  is  to  lay  a 


io6 


GARDEN  STEPS 


piece  of  rough  cloth  over  the  earth  and  water  that. 
It  may  be  left  on  till  the  seeds  germinate. 

Transplanting.  —  Celery  should  be  transplanted 
twice.  As  soon  as  the  young  plants  are  large  enough 
to  handle,  they  should  be  transplanted  to  another 
box  or  to  the  cold  frame,  where  they  should  stand 

two  inches  apart  each  way. 
Again,  when  they  are  four 
or  five  inches  high,  and 
warm  weather  has  come, 
they  may  be  set  in  the 
garden. 

Unless  celery  is  trans- 
planted, it  grows  into  a 
very  different  plant  from 
that  usually  seen.  Instead 
of  the  thick  nest  of  roots, 
it  develops  a  thin  taproot 
that  has  little  strength  to 
support  the  plant ;  and  in 
place  of  a  large  bunch  of 

heavy  stalks,  it  produces  a  thin,  poor  group  of  tough 
stalks,  which  are  very  slow  in  developing. 

Setting  Celery  in  the  Garden.  —  When  the  plants 
are  large  enough  to  set  out  in  the  garden,  scoop  out 
shallow  trenches  four  or  five  inches  deep,  piling 
between  them  the  earth  that  is  removed.  The 
trenches  will  need  to  be  three  feet  apart  in  order  to 
allow  space  for  handling  this  earth.  Four  feet  be- 


TRANSPLANTED  CELERY  PLANT 


CELERY  107 

tween  them  will  not  be  too  much  if  there  is  plenty  of 
room  in  the  garden.  In  the  bottom  of  the  trench, 
work  in  two  inches  of  well-rotted  dairy  dressing. 
Mix  the  manure  with  the  soil  very  thoroughly. 

Set  the  plants  carefully  in  the  bottom  of  the  trench, 
six  inches  apart.  Open  a  hole  with  the  trowel  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  whole  root  without  any 
crowding. 

Importance  of  Plenty  of  Water.  —  As  soon  as  the 
plants  are  set,  they  must  be  watered.  Of  course 
water  must  not  stand  about  the  roots  ;  but  the  earth 
may  be  kept  moist  all  the  time  without  harming  the 
celery.  Planting  in  trenches  makes  it  possible  to 
use  a  little  water  to  very  good  advantage,  as  it  can- 
not run  off  into  the  surrounding  land.  If  it  is  pos- 
sible to  lay  a  few  irrigation  pipes  in  these  trenches 
when  setting  the  plants,  a  constant  source  of  water 
will  be  supplied  to  the  roots. 

Banking.  —  As  the  plants  grow  above  the  top  of 
the  trench,  the  earth  should  be  drawn  back  gradually 
till  the  ground  is  level  once  more  and  six  inches  of  the 
stalk  is  covered  with  earth.  Later  on,  when  the 
plants  stand  eight  or  ten  inches  above  the  level, 
more  earth  should  be  drawn  about  them. 

Work  about  the  celery  plants  when  the  earth  is 
dry,  as  wet  soil  is  hard  to  handle  and  may  turn  the 
stalks  yellow.  When  banking  the  stalks,  gather 
the  tops  carefully  in  the  left  hand,  holding  the 
stalks  close  together.  Then  draw  up  the  earth  with 


io8 


GARDEN  STEPS 


a  trowel,  till  the  branches  are  covered  up  to  the  top 
leaves  and  held  firmly  in  place.  Later  banking, 
as  the  stalks  grow  higher,  may  be  done  with  the  hoe, 
as  the  earth  will  keep  the  stalks  together. 

DISEASES 

Celery  is  quite  free  from  diseases  and  insect  pests 
in  most  localities  and  in  most  seasons.  There  is  a 
blight  which  attacks  the  growing  plants  sometimes. 

The  best  plan  is  to  plant 
the  hardy  varieties  which 
have  proved  able  to  resist 
the  blight,  or,  if  necessary, 
to  spray  with  Bordeaux 
mixture,  which  will  hold  it 
in  check. 


STORING  CELERY 

The  early  varieties,  White 
Plume  and  Self -Blanching, 
do  not  keep  very  long, 
though  with  care  they 
should  stay  in  good  condi- 
tion till  Christmas.  Pascal 
and  Boston  Market  will  keep 
all  winter.  When  cold 
weather  comes,  take  the 
bunches  from  the  rows 
carefully,  with  a  spade  or 


BOSTON  MARKET  CELERY 


CELERY 


109 


shovel.  Loosen  the  earth  beneath  the  roots,  so  that 
they  will  come  away  unimpaired.  Pack  the  bunches 
close  together,  upright  in  a  box,  and  place  in  a  cool 
cellar,  covering  them  with  fine  earth  up  to  the 
branches. 

If  this  earth  becomes  dry,  the  stalks  will  shrivel, 
but  you  must  not  water  the  leaves  and  stalks  or  they 
will  rot.  A  few  holes  may  be  bored,  low  down  in 
the  box,  and  water  may  be  poured  in  by  tilting  the 
box  over  to  one  side.  This  will  moisten  the  earth 
without  wetting  the  leaves. 


A  SCHOOL  GARDEN  OF  ONE  EIGHTH  or  AN  ACRE 


CHAPTER  XII 

SWEET   CORN 

SWEET  CORN  takes  more  room  in  the  garden,  for  the 
amount  of  food  it  produces,  than  any  other  plant 
which  the  amateur  is  likely  to  cultivate.  At  best, 
one  cannot  get  more  than  about  eight  ears  to  a  hill ; 
and  the  hills  need  to  stand  at  least  three  feet  apart 
when  producing  at  that  rate.  Nevertheless,  every 
effort  should  be  made  to  grow  as  much  sweet  corn 
as  the  garden  can  possibly  accommodate,  for  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  no  one  knows  the  real  qualities  of 
this  vegetable  until  he  has  eaten  it  fresh  from  his 
own  garden.  Gathered  while  the  dew  is  still  wet, 
and  kept  cool  till  dinner  time,  it  more  than  pays 
for  the  toil  expended  upon  it  and  the  room  it  takes. 

KINDS  TO  CHOOSE 

Golden  Bantam.  —  It  is  fairly  easy  to  choose  the 
first  corn  for  spring  sowing  in  the  home  garden,  for 
the  Golden  Bantam  has  today  out-distanced  all 
competitors.  There  are  several  varieties  of  corn 
which  ripen  earlier  than  the  Bantam,  but  if  one  will 
compare  them  as  to  quality,  he  will  be  only  too 


SWEET  CORN 


in 


When  pearls  of  dew  are  on  the  blades, 
And  russet  tassels  greet  the  morn, 
Then  wander  through  the  glistening  glades, 
And  pick  the  corn. 


glad  to  wait  a  few  days  and  have  the  Bantam  corn. 
Since  corn  takes  a  great  deal  of  room  and  requires 
some  care,  it  seems  unprofitable,  where  room  and 
labor  count,  to  plant  the  commonplace  when  the 
best  is  at  hand. 


112 


GARDEN  STEPS 


COUNTRY  GENTLEMAN  CORN 


Golden  Bantam  is  a 
pale  yellow  when  ready 
for  the  table,  deepening 
to  an  orange  yellow  as 
it  matures.  Its  flavor 
so  far  surpasses  that  of 
other  corn,  that  many 
grow  nothing  else  for 
the  home  patch,  plant- 
ing for  several  crops,  a 
week  or  two  apart.  The 
stalk  is  short  and  slight 
and  bears  usually  two 
ears,  one  good  ear  and 
another  rather  smaller. 
There  are  now  many 
strains  of  this  corn 
offered  by  seedsmen. 
The  general  effort  is  to 
produce  a  larger  ear 
which  will  retain  the 
flavor  of  the  Bantam. 
At  present,  it  looks  as  if 
this  effort  would  be  suc- 
cessful. 

Later  Varieties.  — 
After  the  Bantam  corn 
come  many  varieties, 
which  ripen  in  their 


SWEET  CORN  113 

season.  By  choosing  well,  one  may  plant  all  his 
corn  in  May  and  have  it  ripen  week  by  week,  from 
the  last  of  July  till  September,  according  to  variety. 
Then  a  last  planting  of  an  early  sort,  like  the  Ban- 
tam, about  the  fourth  of  July,  will  give  one  more 
picking  after  the  late  May-planted  varieties  are 
finished. 

Crosby,  a  second  early,  large,  white  corn,  is  a 
favorite  everywhere.  Potter's  Excelsior  and  Coun- 
try Gentleman  are  excellent  later  varieties  of  strong 
growth.  Country  Gentleman  has  uneven  rows  of 
very  deep,  sweet  kernels ;  but  it  passes  its  best 
stage  rapidly  and  soon  becomes  rather  tough.  For 
a  last  sowing,  StowelPs  Evergreen  is  a  variety  which 
ripens  in  early  September  throughout  the  northern 
states.  Its  habit  of  ripening  gradually  makes  it 
especially  worth  while  for  the  home  garden. 

PLANTING  CORN 

Inadvisability   of   Starting  in   Cold  Frame.  —  A 

good  many  articles  on  corn  planting  speak  of  start- 
ing the  seed  in  window  boxes  and  cold  frames  and 
then  transplanting  to  the  field,  but  it  is  hard  to  see 
much  use  in  this,  for  several  reasons.  Early  corn 
does  not  tend  to  rot  in  the  ground  so  much  as  beans 
do,  if  the  weather  is  wet  and  cold.  The  sprout  is 
fully  as  delicate  as  the  seed,  and  if  the  weather  is 
safe  for  the  corn  to  appear  above  ground,  it  will 
usually  do  so.  If  set  out,  the  small  blades  are  very 


114  GARDEN  STEPS 

sensitive  to  cold ;  and  even  if  set  expertly,  they  will 
lose  strength  at  the  slightest  chill  and  be  slower  than 
field-planted  corn,  put  in  later.  Besides  this,  only 
the  most  expert  can  transplant  corn.  From  the 
nature  of  the  root  growth,  one  can  see  that  it  is  a 
delicate  operation  to  get  those  hair  roots  from  one 
bed  of  earth  into  another  without  damage.  Any 
one  interested  may  try  it,  but  good  results  are  hardly 
to  be  expected. 

When  to  Plant  the  Early  Crop.  —  For  the  first 
early  crop,  it  is  safe  to  put  in  the  seed  as  soon  as 
the  first  green  appears  on  the  trees.  See  that  the 
earth  is  worked  over  well  and  fertilized  somewhat. 
The  first  application  need  not  be  very  heavy.  If 
stable  or  dairy  dressing  has  been  plowed  in,  that  is  a 
good  preparation.  Satisfactory  results  will  be  ob- 
tained if  ten  pounds  of  complete  commercial  fer- 
tilizer to  each  twenty-foot  square  is  scattered  about 
and  raked  in  at  planting.  As  the  roots  are  feeding 
near  the  surface,  the  fertilizer  need  not  be  worked 
deep  into  the  soil.  Poultry  droppings  are  especially 
good  for  corn.  A  barrow-load  to  each  twenty-foot 
square  is  good  for  a  start. 

Rows  or  Hills.  —  There  are  two  distinct  methods 
of  placing  the  corn  in  the  field.  It  may  be  placed  in 
hills,  two  or  three  feet  apart  each  way,  or  it  may  be 
planted  in  rows,  about  three  feet  apart,  leaving  the 
stalks  eight  or  ten  inches  apart  in  the  row.  Gar- 
deners get  good  results  either  way,  and  some  very 


SWEET  CORN  115 

successful  growers  use  the  latter  method.  However, 
a  consideration  of  the  root  habit  of  corn,  and  of 
the  advantage  in  ease  of  cultivation,  would  swing 
the  balance  in  favor  of  the  "  hill  "  method,  for  the 
home  garden. 

Let  us  state  here  that  when  "  hills  "  are  spoken  of 
in  garden  books,  a  real  hill  or  round  of  earth  is 
frequently  not  intended  at  all.  It  really  means  a 
spot  where  a  group  of  seed  is  planted,  and  where  the 
earth  is  prepared  especially  to  receive  them.  No 
progressive  farmer  today  piles  up  banks  or  mounds  of 
earth  about  his  corn.  He  measures  off  the  spots 
where  the  seed  is  to  be  planted,  hoes  out  the  stones, 
and  that  spot  is  called  a  hill. 

It  is  much  easier  to  make  use  of  a  stony  piece  of 
ground  by  preparing  hills  three  feet  or  so  apart,  than 
by  preparing  rows ;  and  corn  will  do  very  well  on 
a  stony  piece,  if  it  is  thoroughly  harrowed. 

Pollen  and  Its  Work.  — Another  consideration  of 
importance  here  is  the  pollen  and  its  work.  The 
pollen  of. the  corn  is  made  in  the  feather-like  blos- 
soms at  the  top.  Just  at  the  time  when  the  silk 
in  the  ear  is  at  its  best,  the  pollen  ripens  and  falls 
from  the  top  blossoms  in  a  fine  yellow  dust.  Every 
grain  of  corn  in  the  ear  has  a  thread  of  silk  running 
from  it  to  the  outside  air.  If  the  pollen  falls  upon 
this  thread,  the  kernel  of  corn  develops.  If  pollen 
does  not  reach  the  thread  at  the  right  time,  the  ker- 
nel at  that  point  on  the  ear  does  not  develop.  One 


GARDEN  STEPS 


often  finds  ears  of  sweet  corn  with  several  kernels 
missing;  sometimes  half  the  ear  is  not  filled  out. 

In  certain  cases,  where 
the  silk  has  been  hurt  or 
taken  away,  no  kernels 
develop. 

Now,  if  we  have  a 
long  row  of  corn,  and  a 
spell  of  windy  weather 
comes  about  the  time 
the  pollen  is  dropping, 
it  is  clear  that  most  of 
this  pollen  may  be  blown 
to  one  side  ;  conse- 
quently the  ears  will  be 
poorly  developed.  If 
the  corn  is  planted  in  a 
compact  group,  the  pol- 
len which  is  scattered 
from  one  stalk  will  fall 
on  its  neighbor,  adding 
much  to  the  prospect 
of  good  ears. 

Danger  of  Mixing 
Varieties. --This  leads 
to  one  more  hint.  As 

this  pollen  flies  so  easily  from  one  plant  to  another, 
any  special  variety  of  corn  you  wish  to  preserve 
must  be  kept  by  itself.  Many  managers  of  large 


The  pollen  drops  from  the  blossoms 
above  to  the  tasseled  silk,  as  it  appears 
on  the  ear. 


SWEET  CORN  117 

canning  factories  provide  corn  seed  free  to  those 
who  grow  corn  for  them,  rather  than  let  the  .farmers 
try  to  save  their  own  seed,  and  thus  run  a  chance 
of  getting  it  mixed.  Different  varieties  of  corn, 
grown  together,  will  surely  mix,  and  it  would  not 
be  wise  to  save  such  seed.  This  is  true  of  many 
garden  plants.  There  is  little  seed  from  the  garden 
that  can  be  used  to  advantage.  Beans  and  tomatoes 
are  notable  exceptions  to  this  rule. 

Depth  of  Planting.  —  Corn  should  not  be  planted 
over  an  inch  deep,  unless  the  soil  is  very  light  and 
tends  to  be  dry.  For  the  Bantam  corn,  make  hills 
two  and  a  half  feet  apart ;  for  the  larger  sorts,  at 
least  three  .feet.  Scoop  out  the  earth  an  inch  deep 
with  a  hoe  and  drop  about  ten  kernels,  leaving  half 
an  inch  between  each  seed.  Then  cover  with  the 
hoe  and  make  the  earth  firm.  If  this  is  early  in 
the  season,  and  frosts  are  still  possible,  a  wise  gar- 
dener will  go  over  the  row  ten  days  later  and  drop  a 
half  dozen  kernels  next  to  each  hill.  Then  if  any- 
thing happens  to  the  first  sowing,  the  "other  one  is 
ready  to  take  its  place. 

CULTIVATION 

Habit  of  Growth.  —  In  handling  sweet  corn  one 
will  have  much  greater  success  if  he  understands  a 
little  about  its  habit  of  growth.  As  soon  as  the 
sprout  appears,  long,  threadlike  roots  run  out  in  all 
directions,  an  inch  or  two  under  the  surface ;  while 


GARDEN  STEPS 


one  large  root,  the  taproot,  leads  down  from  the 
point  of  the  kernel,  often  deep  into  the  ground.  These 
surface  roots  are,  at  some  stages  of  growth,  larger 
than  the  sprout,  and  will  at  all  times,  under  favor- 
able conditions,  be  fully  as  long  as  the  stalk  above 


CORN  ROOTS  ONE  MONTH  AFTER  PLANTING 

These  roots  run  out  forty -two  inches  from  the  stalk,  about  three  inches 
under  the  surface.  Deep  cultivation  will  injure  them.  This  picture 
shows  in  a  remarkable  way  how  corn  roots  range  for  their  food. 


them.  These  delicate  surface  roots  are  hunting 
everywhere  for  food,  often  six  or  seven  feet  away 
from  the  parent  stalk  which  they  are  providing  with 
nourishment. 

Knowing  this  about  these  roots,  one  may  be  sure 
that  all  the  food  supply  in  the  corn  patch  will  be 


SWEET  CORN 


119 


used,  if  the  earth  is  kept  in  proper  condition. 
There  is  no  need  of  putting  fertilizer  near  the  hills. 
In  fact,  to  encourage  this  root  network  to  spread, 
it  is  better  to  scatter  it  about  in  the  rows  rather 
evenly.  Potatoes,  beans,  peas,  cabbages,  and  many 
other  plants  like  to  have  their  main  food  supply 
near  at  hand,  but  corn  has 
a  different  habit. 

The  fact  that  these  roots 
lie  just  below  the  surface 
warns  us  also  that  corn 
must  not  be  cultivated  too 
deeply,  just  an  inch  or  two. 
At  the  same  time,  the  earth 
must  be  kept  soft  and  mel- 
low always,  or  the  sun  will 
bake  the  ground  and  rob 
the  roots  of  their  nourish- 
ment. 

Thinning  Out.  —  As  the 
sprouts  get  up  a  couple  of 
inches,  begin  to  thin  them  out,  planning  to  leave 
not  over  four  of  the  Bantam  varieties  or  three  of 
the  large  corn,  in  each  hill.  Leave  an  extra 
sprout  until  the  plants  are  a  foot  high  in  case 
some  may  be  hurt  or  eaten.  In  thinning  the 
sprouts,  give  a  sharp  pull  away  from  the  hill,  to 
avoid  lifting  and  loosening  the  soil  about  the  other 
roots. 


CORN  is  NOT  JUDGED  BY  THE 
HEIGHT  OF  THE  STALK 

The  plant  on  the  left  is  heavier 
and  better  than  that  on  the  right. 


120 


GARDEN  STEPS 


Fertilizing.  —  When  the  corn  is  well  started,  an 
application  of  commercial  fertilizer,  about  two 
pounds  to  the  twenty-foot  square,  or  nitrate  of  soda 
in  about  the  same  quantity,  will  keep  up  the  growth. 
This  should  be  done  again  later  on  as  the  ears  are 

filling  out,  to  insure  a 
constant  supply  of  nour- 
ishment for  the  growing 
crop.  If  you  have  poultry, 
nothing  is  better  for  grow- 
ing corn  than  to  scatter 
about  the  droppings 
whenever  the  roosts  are 
cleaned. 

Side  Shoots. —When 
sweet  corn  gets  about 
two  thirds  of  its  growth, 
distinct  side  shoots  ap- 
pear near  the  root.  No 
ears  will  develop  on 
these  ;  and  they  will  rob 
the  bearing  stalks  of 
much  needed  nourish- 
ment if  they  are  left. 
As  the  stalks  near  maturity,  go  through  the  rows 
once  or  twice  and  pull  away  these  side  shoots.  Be 
careful  not  to  drag  on  the  roots  in  doing  this.  A 
sharp  downward  pull  will  strip  them  clean  away. 
If  necessary,  hold  the  main  stalk  with  one  hand 


TAKING  SIDE  SHOOTS  FROM 
SWEET  CORN 

Bend  down  the  shoot,  turn  it  side- 
ways, and  pull  it  off  clean. 


SWEET  CORN  I2i 

while  taking  off  the  shoot.  The  ears  grown  on 
stalks  treated  thus  are  much  superior  to  those  where 
the  side  shoots  are  allowed  to  grow. 

CORN  ENEMIES 

Smut.  —  Corn  has  no  disease  that  causes  much 
trouble  in  the  garden  patch,  except  smut.  This 
appears  in  large  bunches  about  the  stalk,  with  silvery 
skin  and  black  contents.  It  is  common  in  most 
places,  but  seldom  is  so  prevalent  as  to  do  great 
harm.  As  the  smut  appears,  it  should  be  cut  off 
and  burned,  as  it  will  be  likely  to  spread  if  left 
about. 

Cutworms.  —  The  cutworm  may,  if  the  season  is 
hot  and  dry,  do  a  great  deal  of  damage  to  the  young 
corn,  one  worm  cutting  down  several  stalks  in  the 
same  night.  Cutworms  are  about  an  inch  long  and 
have  a  brownish  gray  color.  They  are  seldom  seen 
above  ground  in  the  daytime,  as  they  bury  themselves 
half  an  inch  under  the  soil  when  morning  comes. 
When  a  young  plant  is  found  cut  off  just  above  the 
ground,  by  digging  up  an  inch  of  the  soil  you  will  be 
likely  to  find  the  worm  within  a  few  inches  of  the 
injured  plant. 

If  a  piece  of  ground  is  infested  with  cutworms,  the 
safest  method  is  to  mix  a  half  cup  of  arsenate  of  lead, 
in  powder  form,  with  two  quarts  of  bran.  Then 
wet  the  whole  with  water  sweetened  with  molasses, 
and  drop  in  spoonfuls  about  the  rows  of  young 


122  GARDEN  STEPS 

plants.  The  worm  much  prefers  the  sweetened  bran, 
but  one  meal  is  always  enough.  Apparently,  birds, 
dogs,  and  cats  know  that  this  is  poison,  for  there  is 
no  record  at  hand  to  show  any  danger  from  its  use 
in  this  way. 

Corn  Worm.  --There  is  also  a  corn  worm,  a  lively 
fellow,  with  brilliant  yellow  stripes  down  his  black 
back,  who  eats  the  silk  from  the  young  ears.  These 
worms  do  not  often  appear  in  such  numbers  as  to 
dp  great  harm  before  they  are  detected  and  picked 
off.  A  spray  of  arsenate  of  lead  will  check  them  if 
they  become  too  numerous. 

Crows  and  Blackbirds.  —  Some  gardeners  have 
been  driven  almost  to  despair  by  the  crows,  which 
perch  on  near-by  trees  waiting  impatiently  for  them 
to  go  into  the  house.  The  crow  has  almost  super- 
natural skill  in  locating  the  kernels  of  corn  where 
they  have  been  dropped  and  sometimes  cleans  up 
a  whole  patch  before  it  has  sprouted. 

The  Yale  University  Department  of  Agriculture 
made  careful  investigation  on  this  point  and  reported 
that  if  the  patch  were  cross  harrowed,  after  the  corn 
was  planted,  the  crows  would  be  able  to  find  very 
few  seeds.  Apparently  the  crow  recognizes  the  spot 
which  has  been  stirred  to  put  in  the  kernels,  but  if 
all  the  earth  has  been  stirred,  he  is  at  fault.  The 
corn  itself  will  not  be  moved  at  all  by  the  spike,  or 
hackney  harrow,  as  has  been  amply  proved. 

Washing  the  seed  corn  in  a  weak  sulpho-naphthol 


SWEET  CORN  123 

solution,  a  teaspoonful  to  a  gallon  of  water,  just  be- 
fore planting,  will  also  be  pretty  sure  to  spoil  the 
crow's  appetite. 

White  rags  tied  to  string  about  the  field,  or  to 
sticks,  will  make  crows  and  blackbirds  more  wary, 
if  they  show  a  tendency  to  pull  off  the  tender  shoots 
of  the  sprouting  corn. 

WHEN  TO  PICK  CORN 

It  takes  some  practice  before  one  can  tell,  by  feel- 
ing, just  when  corn  is  ready  to  eat.  For  the  beginner, 
the  safest  way  is  to  examine  it  now  and  then,  soon 
after  the  silk  turns  brown  and  shrivels.  By  pulling 
the  envelope  apart  a  bit,  you  can  see  for  yourself 
just  how  ripe  it  is.  Do  not  examine  it  at  the  top, 
but  about  two  thirds  up.  Frequently  the  ear  is 
ready  when  the  top  kernels  have  not  developed. 
If  it  is  not  ready,  push  the  husk  back  over  the  open- 
ing to  keep  out  the  air.  Usually,  when  corn  is  ready 
to  pick,  the  husk  becomes  quite  thin,  and  the  kernels 
may  be  felt  distinctly  with  the  fingers. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

CUCUMBERS 

IT  is  interesting  to  read  the  notes  on  cucumber 
culture  which  come  from  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. In  some  places,  a  few  seeds  stuck  into  the 
ground  will  grow,  with  little  care,  into  prolific  vines. 
In  other  places,  success  with  this  plant  comes  only 
to  the  most  expert.  In  New  Hampshire,  for  in- 
stance, cucumbers  have  no  serious  enemies  and, 
with  a  little  cultivation,  will  grow  luxuriantly. 
In  Rhode  Island,  only  the*  most  experienced  and 
careful  gardeners  can  get  enough  to  pay  for  the  room 
and  labor  required.  In  some  other  parts  of  the 
country  also,  cucumbers  require  more  care  than  they 
did  years  ago. 

This  plant,  like  others  in  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
seems  to  acquire,  after  many  years'  growth  in  one 
locality,  an  increasing  number  of  enemies,  which 
make  successful  cultivation  more  and  more  difficult.* 
If  you  have  had  a  failure  with  the  crop,  don't  be 
discouraged.  Cucumbers  may  be  grown  in  most 
places  with  proper  care ;  they  call  for  certain  con- 
ditions which  it  is  usually  possible  to  supply.  There 

124 


CUCUMBERS  125 

is  no  greater  satisfaction  than  in  taking  up  a  task 
which  requires  skill  and  care  and  proving  your 
power  to  accomplish  results. 

KINDS  TO  CHOOSE 

White  Spine.  —  One  cucumber,  the  White  Spine, 
stands  easily  at  the  head  of  any  general  list.     It  is 


ARLINGTON  WHITE  SPINE  CUCUMBERS 

hardy,  of  strong  growth,  and  produces  handsome, 
large  fruit,  which  is  almost  always  free  from  the 
puckery  taste  formerly  so  frequent  in  cucumbers. 
All  dealers  have  strains  of  this  variety  which  have 
proved  of  special  value  in  their  respective  localities. 
For  general  table  use,  it  would  be  hard  to  find 
another  to  take  its  place. 


126  GARDEN  STEPS 

Varieties  Specially  Adapted  for  Pickling.  —  For 

pickling,  the  Boston  Pickling,  the  Green  Prolific, 
and  the  Green  Cluster  are  all  recommended.  These 
are  early  sorts  which  may  be  planted  for  the  general 
pickle  supply,  along  in  the  early  summer,  even  as 
late  as  July,  except  in  the  northern  belt.  The 
Japanese  Climbing  Cucumber  is  a  type  which  climbs 
on  any  support  that  is  provided.  This  has  fruit  of 
the  best  quality  and,  as  the  vines  are  off  the  ground, 
it  seems  to  be  less  affected  by  blights  than  other 
varieties. 

It  would  be  a  good  plan  to  test  out  a  hill  or  two 
of  each  of  three  or  four  varieties.  The  seed  is  inex- 
pensive ;  and  in  this  way  you  may  find  one  type 
which  succeeds  in  your  vicinity,  where  others  do  not 

do  well. 

PLANTING 

Two  Crops.  —  Cucumbers  are  very  sensitive  to 
extremes  of  both  cold  and  heat.  The  lightest  frost 
in  the  spring  will  spoil  the  young  plants,  and  the 
hot,  dry  weather  of  midsummer  is  likely  to  hurt  the 
mature  vines.  For  this  reason  it  is  best  in  most 
localities  to  plant  an  early  crop,  which  may  die  out 
in  midsummer,  and  a  second  crop,  which  will  be 
maturing  after  the  hottest  days  have  passed. 

As  partial  shade  is  good  for  cucumbers  in  July 
and  August,  it  would  be  well  to  plant  a  few  hills  in 
the  rows  between  the  late  corn.  These  vines  will 
have  sun  enough  during  the  middle  of  the  day,  but 


CUCUMBERS  127 

are  given  partial  shade  to  keep  them  from  drying 
out  in  hot  spells. 

Starting  in  the  Window  Box.  —  For  the  earlier 
crop,  seeds  may  be  planted  in  the  cold  frame  if  de- 
sired. Pots  or  baskets  may  be  used,  but,  as  the 
young  vine  is  not  easy  to  transplant,  a  piece  of  sod 
is  the  best  place  for  its  early  growth.  Cut  pieces  of 
sod  about  four  inches  square,  invert  them  in  a  win- 
dow box  or  in  the  cold  frame,  and  thrust  into  each 
four  or  five  cucumber  seeds  an  inch  apart.  When 
the  weather  is  suitable,  these  sods  may  be  placed 
in  the  hill  without  disturbing  the  roots  in  any 
way. 

Preparing  the  Soil  in  the  Garden.  —  When  the 
trees  are  well  covered  with  foliage  and  warm  weather 
has  set  in,  prepare  the  hills  in  the  garden.  If  there  is 
a  part  of  the  land  which  is  more  moist  than  the  rest, 
choose  this  for  the  cucumbers  and  melons,  avoiding, 
of  course,  ground  which  is  not  well  drained.  The 
hills  should  be  as  large  as  the  circumference  of  a  barrel 
and  four  feet  apart  each  way.  Scoop  out  the  earth 
to  a  depth  of  about  six  inches,  and  remove  the  stones. 
If  you  have  well-rotted  dairy  dressing,  mix  that  with 
the  earth  which  is  to  be  returned  to  its  place,  two  or 
three  shovelfuls  to  a  hill.  If  you  have  dressing  that 
is  too  fresh  and  lumpy  to  mix  well  with  the  earth,  put 
it  in  the  bottom  of  the  cavity.  Wet  it  and  stamp 
it  down  thoroughly.  Then  replace  the  earth  till  it 
is  about  level  with  the  rest  of  the  ground.  Mix  a 


128 


GARDEN  STEPS 


handful  of  commercial  fertilizer  with  the  earth  on 
the  top  of  the  hill,  to  start  the  seeds. 

Sowing  the  Seed.  —  When  the  earth  has  been  re- 
placed and  firmly  packed  down,  till  the  edges  of  the 
hill  are  on  a  level  with  the  soil  around  it  and  the 
center  is  slightly  higher,  scatter  ten  or  fifteen  seeds 


An  old  well  bucket,  sunk  in  the  ground,  provides  water  through  the 
dry  spells  for  several  hills  of  cucumbers. 

about  an  inch  apart.  Sift  over  these  a  half  inch  of 
soil,  rounding  it  up  towards  the  center.  Make  this 
firm  with  the  shovel.  Then  sift  a  thin  layer  of  earth 
on  top  for  a  dust  mulch.  This  will  make  a  hill 
nearly  two  feet  across,  well  fertilized,  with  a  crown 
rising  about  two  inches  above  the  surrounding  level. 
Do  not  make  this  mound,  or  hill,  much  higher  than 


CUCUMBERS  129 

that,  or  the  water  will  drain  away  too  fast  and  leave 
the  young  plants  dry. 

A  Simple  Method  of  Irrigation.  —  If  the  summer 
in  your  locality  is  likely  to  be  hot  and  dry,  a  very 
simple  and  effective  means  of  irrigation  may  be  pro- 
vided by  placing  an  old  pail  or  keg  in  the  ground  in 
the  center  of  the  square  formed  by  four  hills.  The 
bottom  should  leak  freely,  so  that  the  water  may  be 
absorbed  into  the  earth  and  find  its  way  as  needed 
to  the  roots  of  the  near-by  vines. 

INSECTS  AND  DISEASE 

In  some  localities  cucumbers  must  be  protected 
against  both  bugs  and  blight.  In  all  localities  bugs 
must  be  expected.  Fortunately,  one  or  two  simple 
remedies  are  at  hand  which  will  make  it  possible 
to  protect  cucumbers  from  these  various  enemies. 

Flies  and  Beetles.  —  As  soon  as  the  first  leaves  of 
the  cucumber  appear,  they  are  usually  attacked  by 
a  small,  black  fly,  or  a  yellow-striped  beetle,  or  both. 
In  fact,  where  growth  is  slow,  the  beetle  may  become 
impatient  and  meet  the  new  sprout  halfway  up. 

If  the  plot  is  small,  the  most  satisfactory  way  to 
protect  against  these  is  to  bend  a  wire  or  supple 
branch,  thrusting  the  ends  into  the  earth  at  each 
side  of  the  hill.  Over  this  a  piece  of  mosquito  net- 
ting may  be  thrown,  and  earth  gathered  on  the  edge 
to  hold  it  in  place.  This  netting  serves  the  plants 
in  a  double  sense.  It  keeps  the  flies  and  beetles 


130  GARDEN  STEPS 

away,  and  it  also  tempers  the  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold  to  the  sensitive  sprout.  It  keeps  it  warmer  at 
night  and  breaks  the  direct  rays  of  the  midday  sun. 

If  the  netting  protectors  are  not  convenient,  the 
plants  may  be  sprayed  with  arsenate  of  lead,  or 
Pyrox.  Pyrox  is  the  most  convenient  form  of  spray, 
as  it  is  easily  mixed  and  will  soon  be  needed  as  a 
defense  against  the  blight.  It  is  worth  while  also 
to  plant  a  few  radish  seed  in  the  hill  with  the  vines. 
These  will  sprout  first  and  will  attract  the  main 
offensive  of  the  fly  army,  as  flies  usually  prefer  the 
radish  plants. 

Blight.  —  Where  wilt  and  blight  are  to  be  feared, 
spraying  with  Pyrox  must  begin  as  soon  as  the  true 
leaves  appear  and  the  plant  begins  to  run.  A  light 
spray  only  is  needed.  The  small  hand-sprayer 
mentioned  among  the  tools  may  be  kept  loaded  for 
use  and  handy.  Be  sure  that  the  foliage  is  kept 
protected  by  a  thin  covering  of  this  blight  preventive. 

CULTURE 

When  the  plants  are  well  sprouted,  begin  to  thin 
them  out,  weakest  first,  leaving  not  over  four  to 
mature  in  each  hill.  The  screens  may  be  taken  off 
as  soon  as  the  plants  begin  to  run,  as  the  spray  will 
then  effectually  protect  the  vines  from  insects.  The 
soil  between  the  rows  should  be  kept  deeply  stirred 
with  the  wheel  harrow  or  cultivating  fork,  and  the 
hill-s  should  be  carefully  turned  over  with  the  trowel  at 


CUCUMBERS  131 

least  once  a  week.  This  cultivation  should  be  kept 
up  till  the  vines  cover  the  ground.  Then  any  weeds 
which  persist  in  crowding  in  may  be  pulled  out  as 


OXE  GIRL'S  CUCUMBER  PATCH 


you  gather  the  cucumbers.  Always  take  the  great- 
est care  in  working  about  the  plants,  as  they  are 
easily  hurt  and  do  not  recover  well  from  injuries. 


132  GARDEN  STEPS 

The  amateur  will  understand  that  the  screen  of 
netting  must  always  be  removed  before  the  plant 
begins  to  blossom.  The  cucumber  bears  a  little 
cluster  of  blossoms  here  and  there  along  the  vine. 
Some  of  these  are  male,  and  some  are  female,  blos- 
soms. The  cucumbers  grow  only  from  the  female 
flowers.  These  must  be  fertilized  with  pollen  from 
the  male  flowers  before  fruit  can  develop ;  and  the 
bees,  which  fly  from  one  blossom  to  another,  are 
depended  on  to  do  the  work.  They  pick  up,  on  their 
hairy  legs,  the  pollen  from  the  male  blossom,  and 
when  they  call  next  door  on  the  female  blossom, 
they  leave  some  pollen  behind  them.  Of  course, 
if  the  screen  is  left  on,  the  insects  cannot  approach 
the  blossoms. 

GATHERING  CUCUMBERS 

Cucumbers  must  be  carefully  watched  as  they 
mature  and  picked  at  just  the  right  time.  If  they 
are  left  a  day  or  so  too  long,  the  change  is  very 
rapid.  The  skin  and  seeds  become  hard,  and  the 
flesh  quickly  gives  place  to  the  ripening  seed.  Usu- 
ally the  fruits  show  a  cream  white  at  the  blossom 
end  as  they  approach  the  best  stage  for  picking. 
In  a  day  or  two,  this  white  turns  to  yellow,  a  sign 
that  the  seed  is  ripening.  Take  a  short  knife  or  a 
pair  of  scissors,  each  morning  while  the  vines  are 
cool,  and  cut  the  cucumbers  that  are  ready.  Do 
not  pull  them  away  or  twist  them  off. 


CUCUMBERS 


133 


Cucumbers  gathered  in  the  morning  and  stored 
in  a  cool  place  will  keep  fresh  and  sweet  for  some 
days.  If  they  are  gathered  in  the  heat  of  the  day, 
they  do  not  readily  regain  their  crispness. 

It  is  very  easy  to  hurt  the  vine,  and  it  will  stop 
bearing  soon  if  much  disturbed.  Any  fruits  that  are 
left  to  ripen  will  seriously  check  the  growth  of  others. 
If  well  tended  and  nourished,  the  vine  will,  in  many 
localities,  go  on  bearing  till  frost. 


A  FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD  BOY  AND  His  ONE  SIXTEENTH  OF  AN  ACRE 
GARDEN 


CHAPTER  XIV 

LETTUCE 

THERE  is  no  excuse  for  any  one  who  buys  his  let- 
tuce at  the  store  during  the  summer  season.  Let- 
tuce may  be  grown  with  complete  success  in  the 
tiniest  garden.  Even  the  flat  dwellers  may  have  it 
also.  A  window  box,  fastened  outside  the  wall, 
will  support  a  surprising  amount  of  the  best,  if  rich 
earth  is  used.  Lettuce,  of  all  plants,  should  be  grown 
at  home;  for  salad  greens  may  become,  instead  of 
a  delicious  addition  to  the  hot  weather  menu,  an 
actual  danger,  if  they  have  been  wilted  and  exposed 
to  dust.  Lettuce,  once  wilted,  is  edible  lettuce  no 
longer ;  water  can  never  restore  it  to  good  condition. 

VARIETIES 

Multiplicity  of  Kinds. --The  beginner  may  well 
be  confused  by  the  long  list  of  names  under  this 
head  in  the  seed  catalogues.  Fifty  varieties  and 
strains  may  easily  be  counted,  each  of  which  is 
good  according  to  its  kind ;  but  all  are  not  de- 
sirable from  the  standpoint  of  the  beginner.  Some 

134 


LETTUCE 


135 


call  for  experience  and  special  conditions,  to  insure 
even  partial  success. 

Three  types  of  this  plant  show  marked  differences 
in  habit  and  appearance  : 

Head  Lettuce.  —  Head    lettuce,    like   the    Simp- 
son,   Tennisball,  and   Big  Boston,  must  be  carefully 
handled.     The  young  plant  must  be  grown  in  rich, 
light  seed  beds,  with  plenty  of  root  space.     It  must 
then  be  transplanted 
under  equally  good 
conditions,  in  order 
to  secure  satisfactory 
heads.  The  amateur 
is  frequently  disap- 
pointed with  lettuce 
of    this    type,   as    it 
has    a    tendency    to 
grow      rank      and 
stringy,  if  anything 
interferes  with   per- 
fect growth.     It  has  a  plain  leaf,  which  is  not  desir- 
able for  food  until  the  heads  are  formed. 

Loose-Leaf  Lettuce.  —  Loose-leaf  lettuce,  so 
called,  is  pretty  sure  to  yield  enough  edible  leaves 
to  repay  the  efforts  of  the  youngest  beginner.  The 
seed  may  be  sown  in  drills,  and  the  leaves  eaten  as 
soon  as  they  are  big  enough  ;  or  it  may  be  started 
in  the  seed  bed  and  transplanted.  The  leaves  of 
most  plants  of  this  variety  are  of  good  quality  as 


BIG  BOSTON  LETTUCE 


136 


GARDEN  STEPS 


soon  as  they  are  large  enough  to  pull.  The  Grand 
Rapids  and  Hanson  lettuce  are  good  examples  of 
this  type.  The  Grand  Rapids  has  a  deeply  crimped 
leaf  which  is  good  while  young,  growing  rank  and 
coarse  without  forming  a  head,  as  it  matures.  The 
Hanson,  which  will  probably  be  found  nearer  to 

the  ideal  for  the 
home  garden  than 
any  other,  has  a  leaf 
somewhat  crimped, 
with  notched  edges. 
It  grows  quickly 
into  crisp  leaves, 
which  are  edible  at 
once.  It  will  then 
develop  large,  solid 
heads  of  the  finest 
quality  if  given 
plenty  of  room  and 
proper  care.  Let- 
tuce of  this  habit, 
edible  from  its  first 
month  on,  greatly  prolongs  the  table  supply  from  a 
single  planting,  and  gives  the  inexperienced  gardener 
a  sure  reward  for  his  trouble. 

Romaine.  —  Besides  these  two  common  varieties, 
there  is  a  lettuce  of  a  still  different  type,  the  Romaine, 
or  Cos  lettuce.  This  is  not  seen  much  as  yet  in 
this  country,  but  it  is  found  always  in  the  markets 


HANSON  LETTUCE,  JULY  FOURTH 


LETTUCE  137 

of  southern  Europe  during  the  summer  months. 
The  special  advantage  of  this  type  is  that  it  forms 
crisp,  firm  heads  in  the  hot  season,  when  other 
lettuce  quickly  goes  to  seed.  It  is,  however,  not  so 
easy  to  handle  as  the  loose-leaf  lettuce,  and  should 
be  tried  by  the  amateur  as  an  experiment.  The 
Cos  lettuce  grows  in  tall,  compact  heads,  and  is 
rather  firmer  and  heavier  in  texture  than  the  other 
types. 

Colored  Lettuce.  —  Most  of  the  common  varieties 
of  lettuce  are  light  green  in  color,  but  all  seed  houses 
carry  crimped  types  which  have  edges  colored  in 
bronze,  or  golden  brown.  These  are  usually  of  good 
quality  and  vary  little  from  the  general  type  which 
these  special  strains  represent. 

PLANTING 

Sowing  Seed  in  the  Window  Box.  -  -  To  get  good 
plants  in  the  cold  frame,  or  in  the  window  box,  at 
home  or  at  school,  prepare  two  or  three  inches  of 
soil,  made  light  and  rich  with  well-rotted  manure. 
Lettuce  seed  is  very  small,  but  it  is  pretty  sure  to 
sprout  and  thrive.  It  should,  therefore,  not  be  put 
in  too  thick.  When  the  earth  is  fine,  firm,  and 
level,  sprinkle  the  seeds  here  and  there  over  the  sur- 
face, leaving  a  half  inch  between  each  seed.  Then 
sift  over  this  just  enough  rich  soil  to  cover  it  well ; 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  is  enough.  As  this  may  easily 
be  kept  watered,  there  is  no  need  to  press  it  down. 


138  GARDEN  STEPS 

If  you  plan  to  eat  this  lettuce  as  soon  as  it  is  large 
enough,  it  may  be  planted  rather  closer  than  half  an 
inch  and  the  leaves  pulled  here  and  there  as  they 
grow.  Such  plants,  however,  which  have  been 
crowded  when  young,  will  develop  little  root  growth, 
and  will  not  be  suitable  to  set  out  in  the  row  for 
heads.  When  plants  for  setting  out  are  desired, 
they  must  have  plenty  of  room,  at  least  two  inches 
each  way,  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  grow. 

Transplanting.  —  In  setting  out,  allow  about  six 
inches  in  the  row  and  have  the  rows  from  one  foot 
to  two  feet  apart.  For  general  garden  work,  a  foot 
is  rather  narrow  space  to  work  in.  Mark  off  the 
rows  and  dig  holes  three  inches  deep  with  the  trowel, 
removing  all  stones.  Be  sure  that  the  earth  all  about 
the  holes  is  thoroughly  moist.  Fill  them  with  water 
and  let  it  soak  in  a  few  minutes.  Then  take  up  as 
much  earth  as  you  can  with  the  lettuce  roots,  and 
set  the  roots  in  the  hole  so  they  will  be  spread  out. 
Gather  the  earth  firmly  about  the  roots,  press  down 
with  the  fingers,  and  scatter  a  little  dry  earth  loosely 
over  the  spot,  to  keep  the  surface  soft  and  hold 'the 
moisture  in. 

Before  leaving  the  plant,  nip  off  the  larger  outside 
leaves.  Remember  that  the  root  is  not  able  at  first 
to  draw  much  nourishment  from  the  new  soil  about 
it.  If  it  tries  to  support  all  the  leaves  it  was  sup- 
porting before,  these  leaves  must  suffer  from  -the 
change.  If  only  part  of  the  leaves  are  left  for  the 


LETTUCE  139 

roots  to  feed  while  they  are  getting  hold,  they  can 
probably  do  it  fairly  well.  The  plant,  as  a  whole, 
will  not  be  greatly  retarded. 

In  pulling  the  heads,  take  the  largest  first,  here 
and  there  in  the  row,  leaving  room  for  the  others  to 
develop  to  their  full  size. 

Sowing  in  the  Garden.  —  A  most  satisfactory 
way  for  the  amateur  to  provide  the  family  with  let- 
tuce from  the  home  or  school  garden,  is  to  sow  it 
in  drills  as  soon  as  the  soil  can  be  worked  fine  and 
loose.  For  this  purpose,  Hanson  lettuce  surely 
has  no  superior.  Lettuce  is  hardy,  and  the  seed 
can  be  planted  soon  after  the  frost  is  out  of  the 
ground.  Do  not  take  too  much  space.  Twenty- 
five  feet  in  drills  will  provide  amply  for  a  family  of 
five.  Make  the  soil  soft  and  rich,  with  well-rotted 
dressing  of  some  kind.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  get 
the  soil  too  rich  with  stable  or  dairy  dressing.  Let- 
tuce is  largely  water,  and  without  a  constant  sup- 
ply at  the  root,  it  cannot  make  fair  growth.  The 
dressing  sucks  up  water  like  a  sponge,  arid  holds  it 
where  the  roots  can  readily  get  it.  If  commercial 
fertilizer  must  be  used,  mix  five  or  six  pounds 
thoroughly  with  the  soil  in  the  twenty-five-foot  row, 
and  use  a  pound  along  the  row  every  two  weeks  or 
so,  after  the  plants  are  started. 

When  the  soil  is  worked  fine  and  raked  level, 
make  a  crease  along  the  row,  not  over  half  an  inch 
deep,  by  pressing  a  strip  of  scantling  or  the  rake 


140  GARDEN  STEPS 

handle,  into  the  earth.  Into  this,  scatter  the  seed, 
thirty  or  forty  to  the  foot.  Sift  over  the  seed  just 
enough  fine  soil  to  cover  it  completely,  and  make 
it  firm  with  the  rake  or  shovel.  Then  add  a  light 
sprinkling  for  the  dust  mulch. 

Thinning  Out.  —  When  the  young  plants  are 
about  three  inches  high,  they  are  ready  to  .use. 
Take  a  strong  table  knife,  and  drive  it  under  the  roots 
in  the  row  where  the  plants  stand  thickest.  Lift 
out  the  little  plants,  roots  and  all,  shaking  the  earth 
from  the  roots  back  into  the  row.  This  leaves  an 
open  space  of  freshly  turned  up  earth,  about  an  inch 
wide,  for  the  other  plants  to  spread  in.  By  doing 
this  here  and  there,  where  the  plants  are  thickest, 
they  are  kept  from  crowding  as  they  grow,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  earth  is  kept  soft.  If  you  try  to 
pull  out  these  extra  plants  with  the  fingers,  you  will 
leave  more  than  half  the  roots  in  the  ground,  to 
choke  the  growth  of  the  other  plants.  Gradually 
widen  the  spaces  between  the  plants  until  they  stand 
five  or  six  inches  apart.  Then  these  last  plants,  if 
a  heading  variety  like  Hanson  has  been  used,  will 
form  good  heads  to  complete  the  crop. 

Lettuce  for  Succession.  —  To  keep  the  supply  of 
lettuce  constant,  additional  plantings  should  be 
made.  It  will  be  found,  however,  that  about  three 
lots  will  satisfy  the  family,  unless  the  fondness  for 
this  plant  is  unusual.  No  ordinary  care  will  produce 
good  lettuce  during  the  hot  days  of  midsummer, 


LETTUCE  141 

Shade  must  be  provided  then,  to  keep  the  plants 
edible.  A  good  plan  is  to  plant  an  early  crop ; 
then  a  small  row  three  weeks  later.  In  most  places 
this  will  keep  up  the  supply  into  July.  During  mid- 
summer there  will  be  so  many  other  good  things  from 
the  garden  that  lettuce  will  not  be  missed.  A  sow- 
ing late  in  July  will  give  a  fresh  crop  for  fall. 

Shade  for  Lettuce  in  Hot  Weather.  —  If  lettuce 
is  wanted  during  hot  weather,  it  should  be  planted 
in  a  shady  spot,  or  shaded  with  a  lattice.  The  Cos 
lettuce  may  be  used  for  the  hot-weather  crop.  This 
grows  in  a  tall,  erect  head.  The  outside  leaves 
should  be  gathered  and  tied  together  with  a  soft 
string,  or  strip  of  rag,  in  order  to  blanch  the  leaves 
and  make  them  crisp. 

ENEMIES 

Lettuce  is  one  of  the  few  garden  vegetables  which 
is  troubled  by  no  disease,  and  by  no  worms  or  in- 
sects, when  once  well  started.  The  cutworm  is, 
indeed,  fond  of  it ;  but  he  can  do  little  harm  to  the 
lettuce  bed  if  some  of  the  cutworm  bait,  arsenate  of 
lead  and  bran  with  sweetened  water,  is  dropped  in 
spoonfuls  between  the  rows. 


CHAPTER  XV 

ONIONS 

BEFORE  a  gardener  decides  to  grow  onions,  he 
should  look  over  his  land.  Onions  positively  must 
have  rich,  fine,  soft  earth,  free  from  stones.  Onions 
also  require  sufficient  care  to  keep  them  free  from 

weeds  at  all  times  and 
to  insure  soft,  open  soil. 
If  you  can  supply  this 
much,  you  can  grow 
onions  as  well  as  any 
one.  There  is  no  trick 
to  it,  but  constant  atten- 
tion is  necessary  to  get 
a  good  crop. 

VARIETIES 

The  onions  most  suit- 
able   for    general    home 

RED  GLOBB  ONION  S^ens    are    the    globe 

varieties,  like  the  Dan- 

vers  and  the  Red  Wethersfield.     These  are  hardy  and 
develop   solid    bulbs,  which   keep  well   and   have  a 

142 


ONIONS  143 

desirable  flavor.  The  Prizetaker,  a  very  large  yellow 
onion,  often  sold  in  the  stores  as  the  Spanish  onion, 
may  also  be  grown ;  but  it  is  not  wise  to  try  to  grow 
it  from  seed,  except  in  the  southern  states.  In  the 
South,  the  flat  white  onion  is  a  great  favorite.  It  is 
very  early,  having  the  mild,  sweet  flavor  which  has 
given  the  Bermuda  onion  its  great  popularity. 

THREE  METHODS  OF  GROWING 

Onions  are  planted  in  three  ways  :  from  seed,  from 
sprouts,  and  from  sets.  The  sprouts  are  the  young, 
green  plants,  six  weeks  or  two  months  old,  which 
are  transplanted  to  the  garden  like  cabbages.  The 
sets  are  tiny  onions,  grown  the  fall  previous,  and 
planted  like  tulip  bulbs,  instead  of  seeds.  All 
three  of  these  methods  are  used  successfully  by 
gardeners  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 

GROWING  ONIONS  FROM  SEED 

Preparing  the  Soil.  —  In  growing  onions  from  seed, 
pick  out  a  smooth,  fertile  spot  and  work  over  the 
ground  thoroughly.  Unless  you  have  dressing  which 
can  easily  be  broken  up  and  mixed  with  the  soil, 
it  is  better  to  use  commercial  fertilizer.  Ten  or 
fifteen  pounds  to  the  twenty-foot  square  should  be 
worked  into  the  soil  a  day  or  so  before  planting.  It 
is  safer  to  turn  the  ground  over  twice,  several  days 
before  planting,  if  possible.  This  will  help  greatly 


144 


GARDEN  STEPS 


in  the  control  of  weeds,  which  is  frequently  a  serious 
problem  in  growing  onions. 

Importance  of  Good  Seed.  —  Many  failures  in 
onion  culture  are  due  to  poor  seed,  or  to  seed  not 
suited  to  the  location.  Try  not  only  to  get  seed 
from  reliable  people,  but  seed  that  others  near 


FIELD  OF  DANVERS  GLOBE  ONION  GOING  TO  SEED 

you  have  proved  good.  If  in  the  South,  get  seed 
from  southern  people  who  understand  onion  grow- 
ing; follow  the  same  plan  in  other  parts  of  the 
country. 

Time  of  Planting.  —  Onions  take  little  damage 
from  cold.  They  should  be  planted  as  early  as 
possible ;  a  frost  will  do  them  no  harm.  In  the 
southern  states,  they  may  be  planted  in  the  fall ; 


ONIONS 


then  they  ripen    rapidly  when  the  growing   season 
arrives  again. 

Sowing  the  Seed.  —  When  the  ground  is  ready, 
rake  the  surface  smooth  and  fine,  measure  off  the 
rows  with  the  line,  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  apart. 
Sink  creases  with  the  scantling  or  rake  handle,  as 
the  onion  seed  needs  a  solid  bed  beneath  it,  in  case 
the  weather  is  hot  and  dry.  Into  the  crease,  about 
an  inch  deep  or  a  trifle  less,  sow  the  seed  thinly. 
Onions  are  fairly  easy  to  transplant,  and  it  is  a  good 
deal  easier  to  set  them  in, 
here  and  there,  to  fill  up 
a  gap  than  to  pull  out  a 
large  number  of  plants. 
Three  seeds  to  the  inch 
is  enough.  Sift  half  an 
inch  of  soil  over  the  seed 
and  make  it  firm,  finishing 
with  a  light  dust  mulch. 

Thinning  Out.  —  As 
soon  as  the  sprouts  are 
three  or  four  inches  tall, 
thin  them  out,  leaving  the 
plants  about  two  inches 
apart.  Use  a  small  trowel 

for  this  work.     Loosen  the        THINNING  THE  QNION 
earth    carefully   on    both 
sides  of  the  row,  turn  it  over  to  expose  weed  roots  to  the 
sun,  and  then  pull  out  extra  plants  with  the  fingers. 


146  GARDEN  STEPS 

Cultivation.  —  No  further  care  need  be  taken, 
except  to  keep  the  earth  soft  and  loose  about  them 
throughout  the  season.  This  means  a  good  deal  of 
hand  work,  as  the  weeds  quickly  choke  onions  if  they 
get  in  among  them. 

SPROUTS  AND  SETS 

Growing  Sprouts  in  the  Window  Box.  —  Onion 
sprouts  may  be  grown  in  a  window  box,  or,  in  many 
places,  can  be  purchased  from  seed  houses.  To 
grow  the  sprouts,  the  best  plan  is  to  make  with 
matches  little  holes,  an  inch  apart  each  way,  in  the 
window  box  soil  and  drop  one  or  two  seeds  in  each, 
a  half  an  inch  deep.  The  soil,  of  course,  should  be 
light  and  rich.  If  the  seed  is  crowded  in  the  box,  the 
roots  will  be  tangled  and  weak,  hardly  fit  to  set  out. 

Setting  Out.  --When  the  sprouts  are  four  inches 
high,  the  onion  bed  should  be  prepared  as  for  seed. 
The  sprouts  should  be  set  three  inches  apart  except 
for  the  larger  varieties,  which  may  be  four  inches 
apart.  The  rows  are  easier  to  work  in  if  there  are 
fourteen  or  fifteen  inches  between  them.  In  set- 
ting the  sprouts,  be  sure  the  earth  is  soft  and  moist 
and  the  hole  large  enough  so  the  roots  will  not  be 
cramped.  Gather  the  moist  earth  firmly  around 
them  with  the  fingers. 

How  to  Plant  Sets.  —  By  far  the  easiest  and  most 
satisfactory  way  for  the  beginner  to  raise  a  few 
onions  for  home  use  is  to  plant  a  quart  or  two  of 


ONIONS 


sets.  These  are  tiny  onions,  already  partly  grown. 
They  may  be  put  in  as  soon  as  the  bed  is  ready  in 
the  spring,  and  require  no  care  after  planting,  except 
cultivation.  They  are  buried  two  inches  deep, 
three  or  four  inches  apart  in  the  row,  and  soon  sprout, 
growing  to  a  large  size  and  maturing  six  or  seven 
weeks  before  seed-planted  onions  would  ripen. 


WHITE  ONION  SETS 

Enemies.  —  Reports  from  various  parts  of  the 
country  show  that  the  onion  is  still  free  from  enemies 
which  greatly  endanger  the  crop.  The  thrip,  a 
little  insect  that  punctures- the  leaves  and  sucks  the 
sap,  can  be  controlled  by  kerosene  emulsion.  The 
cutworm,  which  will  attack  young  onions,  can  be 
poisoned  with  cutworm  bait  —  the  arsenate  of  lead 
and  bran  mixture. 


148 


GARDEN  STEPS 


The  root  maggot  sometimes  does  a  good  deal  of 
harm,  especially  if  the  crop  is  growing  slowly. 
To  keep  the  maggots  from  spreading,  pull  out  and 
burn  plants  which  are  dying.  At  the  same  time, 
sprinkle  a  little  nitrate  of  soda  or  fertilizer  about  the 
rows  to  stimulate  growth. 

HARVESTING  ONIONS 

Drying.  —  As  the  onions  ripen,  the  tops  begin  to 
turn  yellow  and  dwindle.  When  this  happens,  pull 
the  bulbs  and  lay  them  along  the  row.  Do  this  in 
dry  weather.  They  should  be  thoroughly  dry  be- 
fore they  are  packed  up, 
and  this  will  take  five  or 
six  days,  at  least.  If  the 
sun  is  hot,  gather  them  in 
little  heaps  after  the  first 
day,  so  that  they  will  not 
be  too  much  exposed. 
Onions,  as  well  as  pota- 
toes, sunburn  if  left  ex- 
posed too  long  in  one 
position. 

Storing.  —  When  they 
are  well  dried,  clip  off 
about  half  the  top.  Do 
not  remove  the  roots, 
nor  the  rough  outer  skin. 
They  must  be  stored 


DANVERS  GLOBE  ONIONS  FIFTY 
DAYS  AFTER  SETTING  our 
SPROUTS 


ONIONS 


149 


where  it  will  be  dry,  airy,  and  not  too  light.  A  dry, 
well-aired  cellar  is  the  best  place,  as  they  can  be  kept 
cool  there,  without  danger  of  frost.  Place  them  in 
crates  or  in  small  piles,  where  they  may  have  free 
ventilation  at  all  times. 


VEGETABLES  GROWN  BY  A  SCHOOLBOY  ON  ONE  EIGHTH  OF 
AN  ACRE 


CHAPTER  XVI 

PEAS 

THE  first  thing  to  plant  in  the  open  ground,  when 
spring  arrives,  is  the  pea.  The  pea  has  wonderful 
endurance  and  vigor.  Even  a  sharp  frost  can  do 
it  little  harm*. 

Some  people  plant  peas  in  the  late  fall  to  get  an 
early  crop.  This  works  well  almost  everywhere  in 
the  temperate  zone,  with  the  sweet  pea,  grown  for  its 
flower ;  but  the  garden  pea  does  not  flourish  so  well 
after  a  winter  in  the  ground.  There  is  a  good  deal 
of  testimony  to  show  that  it  does  not  pay  to  plant 
peas,  hardy  as  they  are,  before  spring  has  fairly 
come  and  the  winter  frost  is  out  of  the  ground. 

KINDS  TO  CHOOSE 

Plant  at  least  two  varieties  of  the  pea  as  a  staple 
crop,  frequently  trying  a  third  sort,  to  be  sure  noth- 
ing good  escapes  you.  The  majority  of  experienced 
gardeners  give  little  space  to  the  smooth  varieties, 
planting  only  wrinkled  peas.  There  are  smooth 
peas  that  come  a  few  days  before  the  wrinkled  peas, 
but  they  are  of  poor  quality  compared  with  the 


PEAS  151 

others.  Peas  take  up  a  good  deal  of  room  in  the 
garden  and  need  much  fertilizer  to  make  them  do 
well,  so  it  seems  unwise  to  give  up  much  space  to  a 
variety  that  has  small  value. 

Extra  Early.  --The  extra  early  peas  are  quick  to 
mature  and  develop  the  pod  promptly,  as  the  vines 
are  short  and  so  demand  little  strength  from  the 
root  for  their  development.  The  Nott's  Excelsior 
represents  this  variety  well,  which  also  includes 
excellent  peas  in  the  Little  Marvel  and  the  Little 
Gem.  Both  the  Nott's  Excelsior  and  the  Little  Gem 
have  many  strains,  which  are  given  various  names 
in  different  places.  The  Little  Marvel  is  a  recent 
addition  which  is  much  praised,  but  not  widely  used 
as  yet. 

For  the  first  early  peas,  there  are  few  that  do  so 
well  in  different  localities,  under  varying  conditions, 
as  the  Nott's  Excelsior.  It  is  of  sturdy  growth, 
with  short,  stocky  vines  which  need  no  support. 
It  produces  a  generous  crop  of  rather  small,  well- 
filled  pods.  The  flavor  and  quality  are  excellent,  and 
the  pods  are  so  well  filled  that  two  quarts  will  pro- 
vide peas  for  a  family  of  five. 

Second  Early.  —  After  the  extra  early  peas,  there 
is  a  group  which  ripens  a  few  days  later.  This 
variety,  of  which  the  Gradus,  the  McLean's  Ad- 
vancer, and  Thomas  Laxton,  are  good  representatives, 
has  vines  growing  nearly  three  feet  high,  which  need 
supports  to  ripen  the  crop  to  the  best  advantage. 


152 


GARDEN  STEPS 


They  have  large,  well- 
filled  pods,  and  peas  of 
superior  size  and  flavor. 
Because  of  their  quick 
growth  and  large  crops, 
these  peas  are  found  in 
the  gardens  of  experi- 
enced farmers  every- 
where. 

Main  Crops.  —  For 
the  main  crop  of  later- 
season  peas,  we  have 
those  like  the  Cham- 
pion of  England,  Mar- 
rowfat, and  Telephone. 
These  may  be  had  in 

the  dwarf  strains,  but  the  standard  climbing  va- 
rieties are  usually  planted.  They  develop  large, 
bushy  vines,  sometimes  six  or  seven  feet  high. 

The  Telephone  represents  this  group  well.  It  is 
hardy,  of  strong  growth,  and  is  without  a  superior 
as  a  table  delicacy  when  cooked  twelve  to  fifteen 
minutes  and  served  with  a  little  butter.  This  pea 
grows  to  a  height  of  five  or  six  feet  and  bears  great, 
heavy  pods,  often  containing  seven  or  eight  peas. 
If  well  fertilized,  and  grown  where  the  soil  is  not 
too  dry,  this  type  of  pea  will  continue  to  bear  for 
nearly  a  month,  as  it  sends  out  a  remarkably  strong 
root  growth. 


GRADUS  PEA 


PEAS  153 

PLANTING  PEAS 

Soil  Best  Adapted  to  Peas.  —  Peas  grow  well  in 
heavy,  moist  soil  that  is  not  suitable  for  some  other 
vegetables.  However,  the  land  for  peas,  as  for  all 
vegetable  plants,  should  be  drained  and  free  from 
standing  water.  Nothing  is  quite  so  good  as  dairy 
dressing  for  peas,  and  it  is  worth  while  to  get  it  if  pos- 
sible. 

Fertilizing.  —  When  dairy  dressing  is  at  hand,  be 
sure  the  ground  is  soft  and  fine ;  then  open  furrows 
about  eight  inches  deep.  These  should  be  three 
feet  apart  for  the  Nott's  Excelsior  type,  and  four 
feet  for  the  climbing  types.  Into  these  furrows 
throw  a  liberal  layer  of  dairy  dressing,  to  cover  the 
bottom  of  the  furrow.  If  you  can  spare  it,  put  in 
a  wheelbarrow  load  to  twenty  feet,  since  peas  are 
great  feeders  and  need  nourishment  •  during  the 
hot  days  of  July  when  the  crop  is  ripening. 

Here  is  one  case  where  dairy  dressing  may  be 
used  that  is  rather  fresh,  as  peas  seem  to  do  well 
with  dairy  dressing  at  any  stage.  Stable  dressing, 
which  contains  straw  and  horse  manure,  is  more 
likely  to  develop  heat,  which  will  hurt  the  seed; 
so  fresh  stable  dressing  should  not  be  used  in  the 
rows. 

Sowing.  —  Over  the  dairy  dressing,  draw  an  inch 
or  two  of  earth.  This  should  be  trodden  firmly  into 
the  trench,  leaving  it  about  five  inches  deep.  The 


154  GARDEN  STEPS 

peas  are  then  sown,  fairly  thick,  about  a  quart  to 
one  hundred  feet  of  row.  The  earth  is  again  drawn 
back  over  the  peas  to  a  depth  of  about  two  inches, 
'and  made  firm  above  them. 

In  case  dairy  dressing  cannot  be  secured,  make  the 
ground  rich  with  poultry  droppings  or  commercial 
fertilizer.  Do  not  place  either  of  these  in  the  row 
with  the  peas,  for  they  are  likely  to  burn  the  tender 
plants  as  they  find  their  way  to  the  surface.  Scat- 
ter about  two  wheelbarrow  loads  of  poultry  drop- 
pings, or  ten  pounds  of  commercial  fertilizer,  to  each 
hundred  feet  of  row,  working  them  thoroughly  into 
the  earth  before  opening  the  furrow. 

Whatever  fertilizer  you  may  use,  it  is  a  good  plan 
after  planting  to  sprinkle  a  little  commercial  fer- 
tilizer, or  nitrate  of  soda,  over  the  row  above  the 
peas.  Sprinkle  it  on  about  as  thick  as  you  would 
put  salt  on  mashed  potato.  This  gets  quickly  to 
the  first  small  roots  and  helps  the  sprout  along  until 
the  roots  are  tapping  the  main  source  of  supply. 

Cover  peas  gradually  as  they  grow.  In  using 
dairy  dressing,  the  furrow  is  opened  deep  enough  to 
admit  putting  the  manure  well  below  the  peas. 
Of  course  this  deep  furrow  is  not  necessary  when 
fertilizers  are  worked  into  the  soil.  In  that  case, 
the  furrow  is  opened  to  a  depth  of  only  about  four  or 
five  inches.  In  either  case,  two  inches  of  earth  is 
drawn  over  the  peas  when  first  planted,  and  this 
leaves  another  inch  or  two  of  earth  to  draw  about 


PEAS  155 

them  after  they  have  grown  five  or  six  inches  high. 
By  this  method  the  roots  are  well  covered  with  the 
moist  earth,  and  when  the  hot  days  come,  they  keep 
cool  and  free  from  the  effects  of  the  hot  sun,  which 
is  quick  to  dry  the  vines  if  the  roots  are  not  well 
covered  and  protected. 

Thinning  Out.  —  When  the  peas  are  up  an  inch 
or  so,  it  is  time  to  thin  them  out.  Crowding  is 
responsible  for  many  poor  crops  of  peas.  Thin  out 
the  dwarf  peas  so  that  they  stand  about  an  inch 
apart,  and  the  tall  ones  so  that  they  stand  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  apart.  Pull  out  the  weaker  sprouts 
first.  It  may  take  some  courage  to  thin  them  out, 
but  it  pays  in  the  end. 

Protection  from  Birds.  —  Blackbirds  are  fond 
of  pea  vines  when  they  are  young  and  tender.  Some- 
times they  will  nip  off  the  sprouts  and  spoil  a  long 
row  in  one  early  breakfast.  A  white  string,  stretched 
above  the  row,  with  white  rags  tied  here  and  there, 
will  usually  keep  them  away.  Small  flags,  made 
by  tying  a  strip  of  white  cotton  cloth  to  a  stick, 
stuck  along  every  fifteen  or. twenty  feet,  will  serve 
well  also.  If  there  are  many  blackbirds  about,  it 
is  a  wise  gardener  who  takes  this  easy  precaution. 
It  is  a  little  too  late  after  the  birds  have  been  there. 

CARING  FOR  THE  VINES 

The  dwarf  peas  need  no  further  care,  except  cul- 
tivation to  keep  the  earth  soft  and  free  from  weeds. 


i56 


GARDEN  STEPS 


The  blossoms  form  in  about  four  weeks,  and  the  peas 
ripen  quickly  after  that.  The  season  for  peas 
begins,  in  the  southern  states,  early  in  May,  and  they 
are  picked  in  August  along  the  northern  belt.  Be- 
cause of  its  fondness  for  cool  climates  and  moist 
earth,  the  pea  is  most  delicious  and  profitable  in  those 
states  where  the  summer  days  are  not  extremely  hot. 
Supports  for  Climbing  Peas.  —  For  the  tall  peas,  a 
support  must  be  provided  on  which  the  vines  may 


NOTT'S  EXCELSIOR  PEAS  IN  FRONT,  TELEPHONE  PEAS 
ON  BRUSH 

Some  vines  were  eight  feet  tall.     The  white  lines  show  the  string  put 
up  to  keep  crows  away. 

climb.  The  great  mistake  usually  made  at  this 
point  is  in  having  this  support  too  low  and  too  weak. 
Remember  that  under  favorable  conditions  the  tall 


PEAS  i 57 

peas  will  grow  into  large,  bushy  vines,  sometimes 
six  feet  high. 

There  are  three  satisfactory  ways  of  providing 
supports  for  the  vines  of  tall  peas  : 

Twine  Supports.  —  Stakes  about  seven  feet  long 
may  be  driven  every  five  or  six  feet  along  the  row, 
and  strong  twine  strung  between  them.  This  has 
the  advantages  of  being  inexpensive  and  easy  to 
get  in  any  locality.  Some  farmers  in  Maine,  who 
make  a  specialty  of  Telephone  peas,  use  this  method 
on  large  patches.  Take  in  the  twine  at  once,  when 
the  crop  is  gathered,  and  put  it  away  for  the  next 
season.  If  cared  for  in  this  way,  it  will  last  many 
years. 

Chicken  Wire.  —  Chicken  wire  may  also  be  used 
successfully.  In  using  this,  the  stakes  may  be  placed 
ten  feet  apart,  as  the  wire  will  sag  very  little  between 
the  stakes.  Be  sure  to  have  the  bottom  of  the  wire 
fastened  so  that  it  cannot  sway  with  the  wind.  A 
man  who  had  a  splendid  garden  planted  some  climb- 
ing peas  along  chicken  wire.  They  grew  well  and 
promised  much.  Then  they  began  to  die.  He  could 
find  no  trace  of  bugs  or  worms  and  was  much 
mystified.  One  day  he  found  that  the  wind  had 
blown  the  wires  back  and  forth  till  they  had  nearly 
pulled  the  roots  out  of  the  ground. 

Brush.  —  Where  it  can  be  obtained,,  the  brush 
support  will  prove  the  best  method  in  growing  tall 
peas.  The  brush  shoots  out  its  branches  in  all  di- 


158  GARDEN  STEPS 

rections  and  keeps  the  vines  apart,  exposing  each 
leaf  to  the  sun  and  air,  at  the  same  time  shading 
the  roots  a  little  as  the  vines  grow.  The  leaves 
need  sun.  The  roots  need  protection  from  its  hot- 
test rays. 

Take  strong  bushes,  preferably  wild  cherry  or 
gray  birch,  seven  or  eight  feet  high.  Trim  the 
bottoms  for  at  least  a  foot.  Then  make  holes  with 
a  bar  along  the  lee  side  of  the  row  about  two  inches 
from  the  seed,  and  thrust  the  brush  down  a  foot  or 
more  firmly  into  the  holes  till  the  first  branches 
touch  the  ground.  If  the  earth  is  gathered  about 
these  bushes  firmly,  they  will  stand  the  weight  of 
the  vines  when  they  are  grown,  even  in  a  high 
wind. 

The  bushes  are  placed  on  the  lee  side,  that  is,  the 
side  towards  which  the  prevailing  wind  blows. 
When  the  trellis  is  placed  thus,  the  wind  will  blow 
the  vines  toward  the  brush  instead  of  away  from  it, 
as  they  grow.  If  there  is  little  summer  wind  in 
your  locality,  or  no  prevailing  wind,  then  put  the 
brush  on  the  side  toward  the  sun,  as  the  sun  draws 
all  growing  things  to  itself. 

The  distance  the  bushes  are  placed  from  each  other 
depends  upon  their  size  and  the  way  their  branches 
are  arranged.  The  larger  ones  might  be  two  or  three 
feet  apart,  and  smaller  ones  stuck  in  between. 
Something  must  be  provided  for  each  pea  vine  to 
cling  to  and  climb  on. 


PEAS 


159 


PICKING  PEAS 

It  does  not  pay  to  pick  peas  before  they  are  fairly 
well  filled  out,  as  they  are  wasted  in  that  way.     You 
can  soon  learn  to  tell,  by  a  gentle  pressure  of  the 
thumb    near    the    lower 
end  of  the  pod,  whether 
the  peas  are  large  enough 
to    pick.     On   the   other 
hand,    it    is    unwise    to 
leave  them  on  the  vines 
to  dry,  as  that  will  tend 
to   check  the  growth  of 
the  peas  forming  at  the 
top  of  the  vine. 

In  taking  the  pod  from 
the  vines,  be  careful  to 
use  both  hands.  Hold 


hand 


pea,   to 


PICK  PEAS  WITHOUT  PULLING  ON 
THE  VINES  AND  SAVE  THOSE 
COMING  LATER 


the  vine  with  one 
just    above    the 
save  the  tender  branches 
from    being    torn.       Re- 
member the  new  peas  which  are  coming  above  those 
you  are  picking,  and  give  them   a   free  chance  to 
mature. 

FOLLOW  CROPS 

As  soon  as  the  crop  of  peas  is  harvested,  pull  out 
the  vines,  put  away  the  supports  you  wish  to  save 


i6o 


GARDEN  STEPS 


for  the  next  season,  and  dig  over  the  ground  for  a 
crop  of  something  else.  Bush  string  beans,  turnips, 
cabbage,  winter  beets,  lettuce,  and  other  quick  grow- 
ing plants  may  be  put  in  the  same  rows.  If  the 
peas  have  been  well  enriched,  two  or  three  pounds 
of  commercial  fertilizer  for  each  hundred  feet  of 
row  will  be  sufficient  for  the  second  crop. 


THIS  BOY  GREW  THESE  VEGETABLES  ON  ONE  TWENTIETH 
OF  AN  ACRE 


CHAPTER  XVII 


PEPPERS 

AMERICANS  who  travel  in  European  countries  al- 
ways speak  of  the  appetizing  flavor  that  those  people 
can  give  to  simple  dishes.  This  is  due  to  the  use 
of  aromatic  herbs  and 
plants,  which  are  little 
used  as  yet  in  America. 
Among  these,  the  sweet 
pepper  plays  an  impor- 
tant part.  The  Italians 
are  especially  fond  of 
peppers  and  have  bred 
varieties  of  unusual  size 
and  quality.  We  should, 
ourselves,  learn  the  use 
of  the  sweet  pepper, 
which  grows  easily  in 
almost  any  garden.  It 
may  be  eaten  raw  in 
salad,  or  stuffed  and 
baked. 


LARGE  BELL  OR  BULL  NOSE  PEPPER 
161 


162 


GARDEN  STEPS 


VARIETIES 

There  are  several  types  of  pepper  which  may  be 
grown  successfully  in  any  good  garden  land.  The 
Large  Bell,  or  Bull  Nose  pepper,  is  seen  very  often 
in  the  market.  The  fruit  is  large,  and  the  flesh  is 

thick,  being  rather 
less  pungent  than 
most  varieties.  The 
Squash  pepper, 
which  is  much  used 
for  pickling,  is  very 
hardy  and  matures 
quickly.  Itis shaped 
much  like  a  tomato, 
growing  on  short, 
dwarfed  plants.  The 

SQUASH  PEPPER  Italian  and   Chinese 

Giant  are  both  much 

grown   in  warm   states.     They   are  very   large   and 
have  the  mild  flavor  required  in  sweet  peppers. 

GROWING  FROM  SEED 

Pepper  plants,  as  well  as  seed,  are  for  sale  in  most 
large  towns.  The  plants,  though  slow  in  starting, 
are  very  hardy  and  easy  to  grow  in  the  window 
box.  A  very  small  box  allows  room  enough.  Put 
into  a  small,  shallow  box  three  inches  of  rich,  light 
soil  and  make  it  level  and  firm.  Then  punch  holes 


PEPPERS 


163 


with  a  match,  a  half  inch  deep,  an  inch  apart  each 
way.  Into  each  hole  put  two  pepper  seeds  and 
cover  over.  Keep  the  soil  moist. 

The  seed  will  not  sprout  for  nearly  two  weeks, 
so  do  not  think  it  is  dead  if  it  is  not  up  with  other 
seeds.  When  it  comes  up,  save  the  best  sprout  in 
each  spot  and  let  them  grow  till  over  an  inch  high. 
Then  set  in  another  box,  two  inches  apart.  When 
the  weather  is  warm,  set  them  out  two  feet  apart  each 
way.  Peppers  are  much  stronger  and  produce  more 
when  they  are  transplanted  in  this  way.  They  may, 
however,  be  planted  in  the  garden  during  May  and 
thinned  out  in  the  row. 

No  disease  or  pest  is  likely  to  attack  peppers,  and 
when  once  started,  they  usually  develop  a  good  crop, 
no  matter  what  the  season  may  be. 


A  SCHOOLBOY'S  HALF  ACRE 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

POTATOES 

POTATOES  are  not  difficult  to  grow,  but  skill  in 
choosing  the  seed  and  handling  the  crop  makes  a 
big  difference  in  the  results.  For  a  long  time  people 
grew  potatoes  and  were  usually  satisfied  to  get  a 
fair  crop.  They  did  not  bother  to  compare  methods 
and  results  with  others.  They  had  new  ground  to 
plant,  and  were,  therefore,  quite  free  from  the 
Colorado  beetle  (potato  bug)  and  the  blights,  which 
make  potato  growing  more  of  a  problem  to-day. 

Of  late  years,  however,  the  papers  sent  out  by 
experts  have  aroused  the  attention  of  thoughtful 
farmers,  and  they  are  studying  the  methods  and 
results  of  those  who  produce  large  crops,  in  order 
to  improve  and  increase  their  own  production. 

EARLY  POTATOES 

Varieties.  —  There  are  several  varieties  of  the 
potato,  well  represented  by  the  Rose,  the  Cobbler, 
and  the  Delaware,  which  are  known  as  early  potatoes. 
They  are  hardy,  quick-growing  sorts,  which  with- 
stand cold  well  and  may  be  planted  soon  after  the 

164 


POTATOES  165 

frost  is  out  of  the  ground,   ripening  a  good  crop 
several  weeks  before  the  main  winter  crop  is  ready. 


IRISH  COBBLER  EARLY  OHIO  GREEN  MOUNTAIN 

Planting.  —  In  planning  for  the  early  potatoes, 
choose  the  best  and  warmest  part  of  the  plot  reserved 
for  this  vegetable,  and  use  a  little  more  fertilizer 
than  is  given  the  regular  crop,  to  insure  a  quick  start 
and  steady  growth. 

Raising  Extra  Early  Potatoes.  —  Potatoes  are 
usually  costly  until  early  fall.  It  is,  therefore, 
worth  while  to  get  some  started  extra  early,  so  that 
they  will  be  ready  for  digging  in  August,  a  fortnight 
before  the  regular  early  crop  is  ready.  To  do  this, 
start  fifty  or  sixty  pieces  of  seed,  about  enough  for 
a  fifty-foot  row,  in  the  house.  Start  them  about 
two  weeks  before  it  is  safe  to  put  potatoes  in  the 
ground. 

Take  a  box  about  one  foot  wide  by  two  feet  long, 
which  fits  well  into  a  sunny  window.  Line  it  with 
newspaper,  to  keep  dirt  from  sifting  through  the 
cracks.  The  box  should  not  be  water-tight.  Put 


1 66 


GARDEN  STEPS 


one  inch  of  sandy  soil  in  the  bottom.  Then  place 
in  the  box  the  seed  of  Early  Rose,  or  any  other  early 
potato,  with  eye  up,  side  by  side  in  rows,  and  cover 
with  another  inch  of  sandy  soil.  Keep  the  earth 

moist.  This  is  an  in- 
teresting experiment  to 
try  in  school. 

Keep  this  box  in  a 
sunny  window.  By  the 
time  the  ground  in  the 
garden  is  warm,  strong 
sprouts  will  be  shooting 
up  through  the  thin  cover- 
ing over  the  seed.  Pick 
out  the  warmest  and  most 
fertile  spot  in  what  is  to 
be  the  potato  patch,  work 

POTATO  SEED  READY  TO  COVER     the  ground   over  well,  fer- 
tilize    it     properly,     and 
open  a  furrow  about  four 
inches  deep,  long  enough 
to  plant  the  pieces  about  ten  inches  apart. 

Lift  the  seed  from  the  box  carefully  with  the  small 
mason's  trowel,  and  press  firmly  into  the  row  with 
the  sprout  up.  Draw  enough  earth  over  the  sprouted 
seed  to  cover  the  pieces  about  two  inches  deep,  but 
do  not  press  the  earth  much  above  them,  or  you 
may  break  the  sprouts.  When  the  plants  are  about 
six  inches  high,  draw  the  rest  of  the  earth  about  them. 


WITH  SAND,   AND   SPROUT  IN 
THE  WINDOW 

Enough  here  for  a  forty-foot  row. 


POTATOES  167 

With  careful  attention,  these  should  grow  very 
rapidly  and  should  supply  the  table  with  potatoes 
long  before  the  regular  crop  is  ready. 

LATER  POTATOES 

Advantages   of   Raising   Late   Varieties.  —  It   is 

generally  wiser  to  depend  for  the  main  crop  upon 
the  later  standard  varieties,  which  are  well  rep- 
resented by  the  Green  Mountain,  Gold  Coin,  and 
Carmen.  There  are  several  reasons  for  this  : 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  no  hurry  about  getting 
the  seed  into  the  ground,  so  planting  can  be  left 
till  all  danger  of  frost  is  over.  This  is  important, 
as  the  potato  is  sensitive  to  cold. 

The  standard  potatoes,  planted  after  warm  weather 
has  come,  are  in  less  danger  of  attacks  from  the 
Colorado  beetle,  or  potato  bug,  which  now  inhabits 
nearly  every  part  of  the  land.  Having  a  strong 
and  rapid  growth,  they  overcome  accidents  and 
natural  obstacles  with  greater  success.  It  is  a  well- 
founded  opinion  that  the  later  potatoes  are  more 
free  from  blight  than  those  planted  before  them. 
This  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  the  plant  is 
exposed  a  shorter  time,  and  the  microscopic  spores 
which  cause  the  blight  get  less  chance  to  find  a 
lodging  in  its  foliage.  It  is  generally  true  that  the 
stronger  and  more  rapid  the  growth  of  the  plant, 
the  more  certainty  there  will  be  of  a  generous 
harvest. 


i68 


GARDEN  STEPS 


POTATO  SEED 

How  to  Choose  Seed.  —  For  the  home  garden 
the  Early  Rose  and  the  Delaware  make  an  excellent 
combination,  but  there  are  other  good  potatoes 
which  may  do  well  in  your  locality.  Find  out  who 
has  a  reputation  for  big  crops  of  potatoes  near  you. 
Ask  him  what  he  plants,  and  where  he  gets  his  seed. 
His  advice  may  be  well  worth  following. 

Experiments  carefully  completed  in  the  East 
show  that  potatoes  grown  from  seed  bought  in  north- 
ern localities  yield  almost  double  the  crop  produced 
by  seed  grown  a  few  hundred  miles  farther  south. 
Yet  many  farmers  still  strive  to  save  money  by  using 
their  own  seed,  and  wonder 
why  their  crops  are  not  better. 
Formalin  Treatment  for  Po- 
tatoes.—  Scale  is  found  in 
many  parts  of  the  country. 
It  forms  on  the  skin  of  the 
tubers,  making  them  rough 
and  ugly.  It  also  reduces  the 
vitality  of  the  plant.  By 
POTATO  SCAB  washing  the  seed  in  a  solution 

of    formalin    one    can    protect 

them  from  this  disease.  Powdered  sulphur  is  also 
used,  but  the  formalin  treatment  is  simple  and  more 
sure. 

Any  clean  receptacle  which  will  hold  water  enough 


POTATOES  169 

to  soak  a  peck  of  potatoes  at  a  time  will  serve.  An 
empty  butter  firkin  will  be  large  enough.  Into  this 
put  seven  gallons  of  water  and  four  ounces  (one  half 
cup)  of  formalin.  Put  the  potatoes,  whole,  into  a 
clean  bag,  arid  soak  them  two  hours  in  the  solution. 
Spread  the  potatoes  out  to  dry,  and  do  not  let  them 
touch  bags  or  boxes  where  potatoes  have  been 
stored. 

Cutting  Potato  Seed.  —  Select  for  seed  medium- 
sized  potatoes  which  are  well  shaped,  true  to  the  type 
of  the  potato  you  are  planting.  A  round  potato, 
though  even  and  pretty,  would  not  be  true  to  the 
Early  Rose  type.  Even  if  the  price  is  high,  seed 
potatoes  cost  so  little  more  than  table  potatoes  that 
it  is  worth  the  small  extra  expense  to  plant  only 
perfect  ones,  using  the  others  for  the  table.  Like 
breeds  like.  If  you  plant  a  seed  from  a  poorly 
shaped  potato,  that  is  just  what  you  are  likely  to 
dig  from  the  hill. 

If  you  examine  a  potato,  you  will  find  that  on 
one  end,  where  the  little  stem  was,  there  are  no 
eyes.  At  the  other  end  there  are  several  eyes,  close 
together.  On  the  sides  there  are  usually  four  or  five 
more.  Plan  to  cut  the  potato  so  that  each  piece 
will  have  one  or  two  good  eyes  and  a  solid  piece  of 
flesh.  The  best  way  is  to  stand  the  potato  on  a 
board,  with  the  eye  end  up.  Cut  down  between 
the  best  two  eyes  in  the  end,  taking  care  to  divide 
the  eyes  on  the  sides  as  evenly  as  possible.  One 


170  GARDEN  STEPS 

can  usually  get  from  four  to  six  seed  pieces  from 
a  medium  potato.  Do  not  divide  a  piece  having 
two  eyes,  unless  you  can  have  with  each  eye  a 
good  piece  of  flesh,  cut  to  the  center.  The  chances 
of  getting  a  good  crop  are  much  less  if  only  a  small, 
thin  piece  is  left  with  the  eye. 

PLANTING  POTATOES 

Choice  of  Fertilizer.  —  Commercial  fertilizer,  pre- 
pared especially  for  potatoes,  makes  the  best  fer- 
tilizer for  potato  ground  in  general.  It  is  easy  to 
procure  in  most  places  and  can  be  depended  on. 
Dairy  or  stable  dressing,  unless  it  is  old  and  well 
rotted,  is  not  satisfactory.  It  tends  to  produce 
conditions  in  the  soil  favorable  to  the  development 
of  scab,  which  makes  the  skin  rough  and  ugly. 

Last  year,  a  truck  farmer  on  Long  Island  took  the 
author  over  his  immense  potato  fields  and  showed 
him  the  results  of  different  fertilizers  he  was  using. 
He  was  not  only  searching  for  the  best  fertilizer  in 
general,  but  for  the  best  fertilizer  for  each  particular 
piece  of  ground. 

The  best  for  his  light,  rather  sandy  soil  was  guano, 
a  pulverized  manure  from  South  America  and  islands 
in  the  Pacific.  This  guano  is  supposed  to  be  chiefly 
the  manure  from  sea  birds,  that  gather  in  thousands 
on  the  rocky  coasts  ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  say  just 
what  it  is  composed  of  now,  as  the  bird  deposits 
have  been  pretty  well  exhausted.  The  commercial 


POTATOES  171 

fertilizer  which  he  used  gave  excellent  results  also. 
Poultry  droppings  are  almost  as  good  as  guano. 

Preparing  the  Soil.  —  Scatter  a  wheelbarrow  load 
of  poultry  droppings  over  about  five  hundred  square 
feet,  and  work  it  into  the  soil  before  planting  the 


FURROW  THROWN  ON  POTATO  Row  BY  HAND  PLOW 

The  seed  is  planted  in  a  furrow  four  inches  deep.  It  is  covered  two  inches 
deep  at  planting.  Three  inches  more  is  readily  thrown  against  the  vines,  when 
they  are  well  started,  by  the  hand  .plow. 

seed.  Later,  after  the  sprouts  are  up,  scatter  as 
much  more  along  between  the  rows,  and  work  it 
into  the  soil  as  the  plants  develop.  This  will  even- 
tually be  drawn  up  about  the  plants,  and  they  will 
get  the  full  benefit  of  it  without  the  danger  to  the 
tender  sprouts  which  would  be  incurred  if  the 
droppings  were  placed  too  near  them  at  first. 


172  GARDEN  STEPS 

The  safest  plan,  in  using  the  commercial  fertilizer, 
is  to  open  the  row  an  inch  deeper  than  you  intend  to 
plant  the  seed.  Then  scatter  the  fertilizer  along 
in  the  row,  with  a  swinging  motion  of  the  arm, 
covering  about  four  feet  with  each  handful.  Run 
the  garden  wheel  harrow  through  this,  to  mix  the 
fertilizer  with  the  soil  before  planting.  After  the 
row  of  seed  has  been  covered,  scatter  about  a  pound 
of  fertilizer  along  each  hundred  feet  of  the  row.  This 
soon  washes  down  and  helps  the  seed  in  getting  a 
good  start. 

Planting  Seed.  —  After  having  prepared  furrows 
four  inches  deep,  lay  the  seed  in,  with  the  .eye  up. 
Remember  that  the  sprout  is  anxious  to  get  into  the 
sunlight,  and  that  the  roots  will  not  grow  until  it 
does.  When  the  eye  is  up,  the  sprout  can  get  out 
the  shortest  way,  and  the  crop  is  earlier  and  better 
for  it. 

Do  not  draw  all  the  earth  back  into  the  furrows  at 
first.  A  covering  of  about  two  inches  is  enough  to 
start  with.  After  the  sprouts  are  about  six  inches 
high,  draw  back  the  rest  of  the  earth  about  the 
sprouts. 

Caring  for  the  Plants.  —  As  soon  as  the  potato 
begins  to  sprout,  the  potato  beetles  gather  to  the 
feast.  It  is  very  easy  to  satisfy  their  appetites  with 
a  little  arsenate  of  lead,  or  bug  death.  Arsenate  of 
lead  may  be  applied  dry  or  wet,  mixed  according  to 
the  directions  in  the  chapter  on  poisons.  For  small 


POTATOES  173 

patches,  it  is  very  handy  to  use  the  lead  in  powder 
form,  or  the  bug  death. 

A  convenient  way  is  to  take  a  tin,  like  a  cocoa 
or  baking  powder  tin,  which  holds  about  a  pound, 
and  punch  holes  in  the  bottom,  making  a  big  salt 
shaker  out  of  it.  It  takes  only  a  few  moments  to 
cover  a  long  row  of  potatoes  with  this,  shaking  a 
little  of  the  powder  over  each  plant. 

Lice  on  Potatoes.  —  Frequently  lice  appear  in 
the  hot  days  of  midsummer  and  threaten  the 
potato  crop.  Fortunately  these  little  creatures 
seldom  do  great  harm  after  all,  and  it  often 
happens  that  just  as  they  seem  most  dangerous, 
they  disappear  almost  in  a  day. 

A  lady  came  in  great  anxiety  to  a  gardener. 

"  Oh,  dear  !  First  the  lice  attacked  my  potatoes, 
and  now  little  spotted  red  bugs  are  on  the  vines. 
What  shall  I  do  ?  " 

"Just  give  those  little  red  bugs  my  address, 
madam,"  he  said.  "They  are  lady  bugs,  after 
the  lice,  not  the  potatoes.  They  will  be  welcome 
here." 

Protection  from  Blight.  —  Beside  the  bugs,  there 
is  the  early  and  late  blight  to  look  out  for  in  growing 
potatoes.  This  blight  comes  from  a  tiny  spore, 
which  lodges  in  the  foliage  and,  under  favorable 
conditions,  increases  with  great  rapidity,  floating 
from  plant  to  plant,  and  often  destroying  a  large 
patch  in  a  short  time.  The  whole  plant  becomes 


GARDEN  STEPS 


diseased,    and     the     tubers    soon    rot    under    the 
ground. 

The  safest  way  to  insure  plants  against  this  blight 
is  to  mix  a  blight  preventive  with  the  poison  you  are 
using   for   bugs.     Bordeaux   mixture  is   a   standard 
protection.     Pyrox  and  other  specifics  of  like  nature 
t ^ _^     provide  a  combina- 
tion  of   poison   and 
blight      preventive, 
which    enables    the 
gardener    to    apply 
both  with  one  dose. 
For  the  gardener 
with      a      compara- 
tively  small    patch, 
it   would    be    easier 
and  just  as  effective 
to   use  some  stand- 
ard combination  like 
Pyrox,  since  it  comes 

in  a  convenient  package,  is  easy  to  handle,  and  is 
not  very  expensive. 

There  is  no  safe  way  to  offer  a  time  schedule  for 
spraying  or  powdering  for  bugs  or  blight.  The 
first  dose  should  be  given  soon  after  the  sprouts 
appear.  After  two  weeks,  enough  new  foliage  will 
have  come  to  demand  another  application.  How- 
ever, if  it  rains  soon  after  the  first  application  and 
the  mixture  is  washed  off,  one  should  not  wait 


RESULTS  OF  POTATO  BLIGHT 


POTATOES 


two   weeks,   especially   if   the   weather   is    hot   and 
muggy. 

A  good  plan  is  to  mix  a  little  arsenate  of  lead  into 
whatever  preparation  is  used.  It  always  does  good 
and  the  white  powder  shows  clearly  on  the  leaf. 


GOOD-BY   TO    THE    HlJMUS 

The  furrows  of  this  potato  patch  run  up  and  down  hill.  The  vines  are  well 
hilled  up.  With  every  heavy  rain  each  furrow  becomes  a  little  river,  taking 
the  water  and  the  humus  from  the  soil.  Furrows  should  run  across  the  slope. 

When  this  is  gone,  it  is  a  sign  that  the  plants  need 
more  attention. 

Keep  up  the  spraying  or  powdering  till  about  the 
last  of  August.  The  potatoes  are  then  well  set, 
and  there  is  little  danger  of  loss  from  insects  or  blight. 

Do  not  neglect  to  keep  the  bugs  off  the  plants  dur- 
ing the  summer,  whatever  you  do.  Through  its 
leaves  the  potato  plant  gets  a  large  amount  of 


i76 


GARDEN  STEPS 


nourishment  from  the  air,  in  the  form  of  nitrogen. 
If  the  leaves  are  damaged,  the  plant  suffers ;  if 
they  are  hurt  very  much,  the  plant  dies.  The  to- 
mato, which  looks  so  much  like  the  potato,  does  not 

care  a  bit  how  many  leaves 
are  taken  off.  It  will 
cheerfully  send  out  new 
ones  and  keep  on  growing 
fruit.  The  potato  foliage, 
however,  must  be  care- 
fully guarded  until  the 
season  is  over. 

Cultivation.  -  -  It  has 
been  the  custom  to  gather 
a  hill  of  earth  about  the 
plants,  as  the  potatoes 
grow.  If  the  season  is 
wet,  this  is  a  good  plan, 
especially  if  the  soil  is 
damp  where  the  potatoes 
But  where 

the  soil  is  well  drained 
and  mellow,  it  is  more 
convenient  to  keep  the 
rows  flat,  so  that  the  wheel  harrow  can  be  run 
through  them  easily.  In  August,  it  is  well  to  draw 
a  little  earth  about  the  plants,  and  let  them  ripen. 
Deep  hoeing  and  cultivating  should  be  completed 
before  blossoms  appear  on  the  vines,  for  these  give 


HUMUS  STAYS  IN  THE  SOIL 

These  potatoes  are  planted  across       are   planted, 
the  slope,  and  hilled  only  an  inch  or 
two.     The  level  cultivation  keeps  the 
soil    soft    and    porous,    holding    all 
moisture. 


POTATOES  177 

notice  that  potatoes  are  setting  on  the  roots,  which 
may  be  easily  broken  off  by  too  close  cultivation. 
After  that  the  weeds  may  be  kept  down  by  light 
cultivation. 

STORING  POTATOES 

Unless  the  ground  where  the  potatoes  grow  is  wet 
and  heavy,  they  may  best  be  left  where  they  are  till 
freezing  weather  approaches.  Then  take  the  fork, 
or  potato  digger,  and  carefully  remove  them  from 
the  row.  Set  aside  for  immediate  use  those  which 
are  wounded  or  bruised.  Do  not  mix  them  with  the 
perfect  ones. 

Dig  potatoes  on  a  fair  day  and  leave  them  beside 
the  row  till  they  are  dry.  At  the  same  time,  in 
places  where  the  sun  may  be  hot,  see  that  they  are 
not  exposed  too  long  to  its  rays,  as  they  turn  brown 
and  are  hurt  by  sunburn. 

When  they  are  ready,  put  them  down  cellar. 
They  keep  well  in  bags,  in  bins  or  boxes,  and  in  piles 
on  the  floor,  if  the  floor  is  dry.  Do  not  have  them 
piled  very  deep,  as  they  need  air  circulating  through 
them.  They  keep  well  all  winter  without  further 
attention. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


RADISHES 

A  LUMBERMAN  once  discharged  a  cook,  complain- 
ing that  he  was  so  useless  he  couldn't  boil  water 
without  burning  it.  Radishes  are  so  easy  to  grow 
that  even  this  man  might  have  succeeded.  They 

sprout  almost  overnight, 
in  hot  weather,  and  form 
an  appetizing  addition 
to  the  slim  menu  of  the 
spring  season.  There 
are  many  varieties,  most 
of  those  offered  by  re- 
liable houses  being  well 
worth  planting. 

THREE  GENERAL 
GROUPS 

Radishes  are  divided 
into  three  general 
groups  :  spring  radishes, 
small  types  that  grow  quickly  and  soon  pass  their 
best  condition  ;  summer  radishes,  of  slower  growth 

178 


SCARLET  GLOBE  RADISH 


RADISHES  179 

and  much  larger  size  ;  and  winter  radishes,  grown 
in  the  summer  and  early  fall,  to  be  kept  through 
the  winter  months.  The  latter  are  large  types, 
little  grown  in  this  country  as  yet,  but  much  found 
in  the  gardens  of  southern  Europe  and  Asia. 

SPRING  RADISHES 

Planting  in  Cold  Frame. --The  spring  radish  is 
usually  sown  first  in  the  cold  frame.  It  may  be 
planted  in  rows,  or  scattered  broadcast.  For  the 
cold  frame,  it  does  well  if  scattered  broadcast  on  a 
piece  of  well  enriched  soil  about  two  feet  square. 
The  seeds  should  be  no  nearer  one  another  than  about 
a  half  inch.  Over  the  seeds  sift  a  half  inch  of  light 
soil.  This  must  be  kept  moist  by  watering,  so 
there  is  no  need  to  pack  it  down  about  the  seeds. 
Radishes  sprout  so  quickly  that  weeds  will  give  little 
trouble.  When  the  bulbs  are  large  enough  to  use, 
keep  pulling  them  out  to  give  the  others  more 
room. 

Satisfactory  Varieties.  —  Both  round,  turnip- 
shaped  radishes  and  long  varieties  may  be  grown  in 
this  way.  However,  the  long  radishes  seem  to  be 
giving  place  more  and  more  each  year  to  the  round 
type,  which  is  more  perfect  in  growth  and  less  likely 
to  be  peppery.  The  French  Breakfast  radish,  of 
bright  scarlet,  with  a  white  tip  and  of  olive  shape, 
and  the  Crimson  Giant,  a  large,  round,  red  radish, 
are  both  widely  used  and  deserve  their  popularity. 


180  GARDEN  STEPS 

Later  Planting. — When  the  weather  is  warm, 
a  row  of  radishes  may  be  put  in  when  planting  the 
carrots  and  beets.  A  twenty-foot  row  will  provide 
plenty,  unless  you  wish  to  leave  the  plants  two  or 
three  inches  apart.  If  this  space  is  given,  they  will 
be  a  bit  earlier  and  more  perfect  perhaps.  Profes- 
sional market  gardeners  sow  them  rather  thickly, 
six  or  eight  seed  to  the  inch,  and  thin  out  as  they 
get  large  enough  to  pull.  This  crowds  them  some, 
it  is  true  ;  but  the  crowded  ones  seem  willing  to  wait 
their  turn,  and  in  this  way  the  crop  ripens  gradually, 
instead  of  all  at  once. 

Preparing  the  Soil. --The  soil  for  round,  spring 
radishes  must  be  rich  and  light  at  the  point  where 
they  are  growing.  It  need  not  be  very  deep,  nor 
much  enriched  with  dressing.  Nitrate  of  soda  or 
commercial  fertilizer,  a  pound  or  two  in  the  twenty- 
foot  row,  mixed  into  the  earth  three  inches  deep, 
will  give  good  results.  If  a  handful  of  nitrate  of 
soda  is  dropped  into  a  gallon  waterpot  of  water, 
and  the  growing  plants  are  sprinkled  with  the  solu- 
tion, it  will  stimulate  rapid  growth. 

SUMMER  AND  WINTER  RADISHES 

When  the  hot  weather  comes  on,  the  small  spring 
radishes  no  longer  do  well.  The  large  summer 
types,  like  the  Stuttgart  and  Strasburg,  supply  the 
demand  during  the  season.  Later  still,  the  winter 
radishes,  such  as  the  White  Chinese,  or  Japanese 


RADISHES  181. 

varieties,  may  be  gathered  and  kept  well  into  the 
winter,  in  a  cool  cellar.  These  radishes  should  be 
planted  in  rich  soil  during  June  or  July.  They  are 
planted  in  drills  and  handled  like  spring  radishes, 
but  they  must  be  given  plenty  of  room,  three  or 
four  inches,  in  rows  fifteen  inches  apart. 
.  The  White  Chinese,  which  is  the  same  in  general 
as  the  California  Mammoth  White  radish,  will  grow 
to  a  foot  in  length  and  nearly  half  a  foot  through, 
with  crisp,  delicate  flesh.  It  is  excellent  to  mix 
with  salads. 

A  RADISH  PEST 

The  only  pest  which  harms  radishes  much  is  the 
root  maggot.  This  does  more  harm  to  the  long 
varieties  than  to  the  round  types,  and  frequently 
spoils  a  crop.  If  the  maggots  are  numerous,  plant 
other  crops  in  that  spot  and  move  the  radish  row  to 
a  new  location,  turning  the  earth  over  thoroughly 
twice  before  putting  in  the  seed.  The  richer  the 
earth  and  the  faster  the  growth,  the  less  chance  the 
maggot  will  have. 


CHAPTER  XX 

RHUBARB 

HAVING  once  enjoyed  rhubarb,  young  and  fresh 
from  your  own  garden,  you  will  not  be  without  it 
again.  Rhubarb  of  the  same  quality  simply  can- 
not be  bought  in  the  markets.  It  is  the  earliest 
gift  from  the  garden  in  the  spring,  pushing  out  its 
crisp,  acid  stalk  at  the  first  invitation  of  the  sun. 
Being  very  easy  to  plant  and  care  for,  rhubarb  should 
have  a  place  in  every  home  garden. 

The  Limurus,  often  called  Cherry  rhubarb,  is 
the  most  desirable  variety.  It  has  red  stalks,  when 
properly  shaded,  which  •  are  of  the  finest  quality, 
and  which  grow  two  feet  long  when  well  enriched. 

PLANTING 

Growing  from  Roots.  —  Rhubarb  should  be  grown 
from  roots.  It  may  be  grown  from  seed,  but  this 
will  take  a  year  or  more  longer  than  when  grown 
from  roots.  The  roots  cost  little  and  produce  edible 
stalks  within  a  few  weeks.  Spring  is  the  best  season 
for  setting  out  the  roots ;  but  they  may  be  put  out 
in  the  fall  successfully,  if  that  is  more  convenient. 

182 


RHUBARB  183 

Preparing  the  Bed.  —  It  is  much  better  to  have 
the  plants  in  a  group,  than  in  a  row.  Nine  hills, 
four  feet  apart  each  way,  will  provide  the  ordinary 
family  with  plenty  for  daily  use  and  for  canning. 
By  planting  in  a  group,  one  gains  the  advantage 
of  the  shade  of  one  plant  for  its  neighbors,  which 


LINN/EUS  RHUBARB  IN  PERFECT  CONDITION 

Many  stalks  in  this  bed  weighed  two  pounds  each.     A  quarter  of  a 
ton  has  frequently  been  cut  in  one  day. 

not  only  makes  the  stalks  longer  and  better,  but  keeps 
the  weeds  thoroughly  in  check. 

Prepare  the  bed  with  the  greatest  care,  if  you  want 
fruit  of  the  first  quality.  The  best  way  is  to  dig  out 
the  top  soil  for  a  foot,  at  least ;  two  feet  is  not  too 
much.  Return  the  richest  part  of  this  soil,  free 
from  stones,  with  stable  or  dairy  dressing,  in  layers 
of  equal  amounts.  Set  in  the  roots  so  that  the 
crowns  come  about  two  inches  below  the  surface. 


1 84  GARDEN  STEPS 

These  will  rise  gradually  and  be  just  at  the  surface 
after  a  year  or  so. 

CARE  OF  PLANTS 

When  to  Pull  Rhubarb.  -  -  There  seems  to  be  no 
good  reason  for  waiting  a  year  to  pull  rhubarb,  as 
frequently  advised.  Good-sized  roots,  set  in  the 


CUTTING  AND  WEIGHING  RHUBARB 

spring  in  rich  soil,  seem  to  suffer  little  harm  if  used 
that  summer ;  though  it  is  not  wise  to  draw  too 
heavily  on  them  the  first  year. 

As  the  stalks  develop,  the  crimp  in  the  leaf 
straightens  out.  Judge  by  this  in  pulling,  not  by 
the  size  of  the  stalk.  When  the  leaf  is  smooth,  the 
stalk  is  passing  its  best  condition.  Reach  well 
down  to  the  ground,  take  firm  hold,  and  pull  with  a 


RHUBARB  185 

slight  twist  sideways.  In  cutting  off  the  leaves,  an 
inch  or  so  of  the  "  toe  "  should  be  left  on  the  stalk. 
It  keeps  better  in  that  way. 

Do  not  throw  the  leaves  down  in  a  pile  to  rot ; 
they  breed  thousands  of  flies.  They  are  relished 
by  poultry,  and  some  should  be  thrown  to  the  hens. 
The  rest  should  be  returned  to  the  patch,  scattered 
among  the  hills,  as  soon  as  they  wilt. 

Importance  of  Shade  for  Stalks.  —  Never  pull  so 
many  stalks  from  one  hill  that  you  leave  it  bare. 
Always  have  enough  leaves  to  shade  it,  as  this  en- 
courages the  others  to  shoot  up  into  the  sunlight 
above  them,  making  them  twice  as  long  as  they 
would  otherwise  be,  greatly  improving  the  quality 
by  the  rapid  growth,  and  deepening  the  color. 
Stalks  grown  on  the  edges  of  the  hill  will  frequently 
be  pale  green,  short,  and  tough,  while  those  in 
the  center  are  bright  red,  long,  and  crisp. 

Rhubarb  may  be  pulled  at  any  time  during  the 
summer  when  needed,  if  care  is  taken  to  leave 
enough  always  to  form  a  complete  shade  over  the 
patch.  As  the  season  advances,  the  stalks  come  more 
slowly,  and  not  a  great  deal  can  be  pulled  at  one 
time. 

As  the  white  blossoms  appear,  cut  them  off. 
These  should  never  be  allowed  to  ripen  at  any  part 
of  the  season,  for  they  greatly  weaken  the  roots. 

Fall  Care.  —  In  the  fall,  put  several  forkfuls  of 
dressing  about  each  hill ;  also  put  garden  trash,  such 


1 86 


GARDEN  STEPS 


as  dead  bean  vines  and  tomato  vines,  over  the 
crowns.  Do  not  cover  the  crowns  with  dressing, 
or  with  heavy,  dense  matter.  The  open  vines  will 
protect  them,  without  shutting  off  the  air.  In  the 
spring,  to  obtain  early  stalks,  put  some  fresh  dress- 
ing around  the  hills  and  place  barrels,  with  bottoms 
knocked  out,  over  the  crowns. 


A  THRIVING  SCHOOL  GARDEN 


CHAPTER  XXI 

SQUASH 

SQUASHES,  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  are  very 
easy  to  grow.  They  lend  themselves  so  readily  to 
ground  unsuited  for  fine  cultivation,  that  they  are 
a  most  desirable  choice  for  all  small  gardens  which 
have  odd  corners.  A  place  that  has  been  filled  in, 
an  ash  pile,  or  a  steep  bank,  will  do  as  well  to  grow 
squashes  on  as  the  level  garden  plot,  if  the  hill  where 
the  seeds  are  planted  is  carefully  prepared  and  well 
enriched.  There  are  two  distinct  types  of  squash 
suited  to  garden  culture  :  summer  squashes,  which 
do  not  keep  long  after  they  are  picked  ;  and  winter 
squashes,  which  are  gathered  in  the  fall,  to  be  kept 
and  used  all  winter.  Some  seedsmen  are  now  of- 
fering squashes  which  combine  the  qualities  of  both 
these  types ;  but  they  are  not  largely  grown  as  yet. 

SUMMER  SQUASH 

Summer  squash,  if  planted  early  in  the  cold  frame 
or  window  box,  may  be  placed  on  the  table  early  in 
July.  It  is  very  sensitive  to  frost  and  to  cold,  damp 
weather ;  so  it  must  either  be  protected  during  the 

187 


SUMMER  SQUASH,  READY  TO  SET  IN  THE  GARDEN 

This  sod  was  dropped  twice  while  being  photographed,  was  planted,  dug  up 
and  photographed  again,  and  continued  to  nourish.  The  roots  were  protected 
by  the  tough  sod. 

188 


SQUASH 


189 


cool    spring   days,  or  planted   after  warm  weather 
has  set  in. 

Varieties.  -  -  There  are  two  varieties  of  the  sum- 
mer squash  which  are  found  generally  in  garden 
plots  :  the  early  Bush  squash,  both  white  and  yellow ; 
and  the  Crookneck,  which  starts  with  a  bush  habit 
and  grows  into  a  short 
vine  as  it  develops. 
Besides  these,  there  is 
the  Vegetable  Marrow,  a 
summer  squash  widely 
used  in  England  and 
now  being  recom- 
mended in  America. 

The  Bush  squash  is 
a  favorite  in  southern 
states,  where  it  is  called 
the  "  Patty  Pan."  It 
has  smooth  white  or 
yellow  fruit,  shaped  like 
a  thick  button,  and 
weighing  a  pound  or 
more  according  to  variety.  This  squash  is  easy  tb 
grow,  ripens  quickly,  and,  on  account  of  its  bushy 
habit,  takes  little  room  in  the  garden.  The  flesh 
is,  however,  rather  flat  and  watery  when  cooked. 
In  many  parts  of  the  country  it  is  fast  giving  place 
to  the  Crookneck  type. 

The  Crookneck  squash  is  long,  with  a  tail  which 


ARLINGTON  SUMMER  CROOKNECK 
SQUASH 


190  GARDEN  STEPS 

frequently  curls  half  round,  and  its  yellow  skin  is 
covered  with  warts.  It  does  not  ripen  quite  so  early 
nor  fruit  so  fully  as  the  Bush  squash,  but  three  or 
four  hills  will  provide  an  ample  supply  for  the 
average  family.  It  is  superior  in  quality,  having  a 
rich,  buttery  flavor  when  boiled  and  mashed ;  it 
is  also  excellent  when  cut  into  slices  and  fried. 

The  Vegetable  Marrow  is  found  in  several  differ- 
ent types  of  vine  and  in  various  shapes  and  colors. 
Those  from  England  are  usually  light  green  or 
whitish  in  color  and  shaped  like  large  cucumbers, 
while  Italy  sends  one  which  is  a  mottled  green. 
They  are  delicate  in  flavor  if  picked  while  young, 
and  are  of  hardy  growth. 

Planting  Summer  Squash.  —  For  the  early  vines, 
summer  squash  should  be  planted  in  the  window  box. 
As  squash  vines  die  quickly  if  their  roots  are  hurt, 
sods  are  the  best  to  plant  in.  Cut  sods  about  four 
inches  square  and  place  them  in  the  box,  grass  side 
down.  The  older  they  are,  the  better,  so  long  as 
they  are  firm.  Then  open  holes  with  the  finger  and 
push  in  three  or  four  seeds,  a  half  inch  deep  and  an 
inch  apart.  By  the  time  the  garden  is  ready,  these 
will  be  well  up  and  the  second  leaves  will  be  out,  if 
the  sod  is  kept  warm  and  well  watered. 

If  the  seeds  are  to  be  planted  in  the  garden,  wait 
till  warm  weather  is  assured.  Then  pick  out  some 
place  where  other  plants  might  have  difficulty. 
Dig  up  spots  four  feet  apart,  about  two  feet  square, 


SQUASH  191 

and  remove  all  lumps  and  stones.  Make  the  earth 
here  rich  with  compost,  or  well-decayed  dressing  of 
any  kind.  If  you  have  no  dressing,  the  squash 
must  be  planted  where  the  soil  is  itself  loamy  and 
rich,  as  it  is  not  possible  to  get  good  results  by  en- 
riching poor  ground  with  commercial  fertilizers ; 
too  much  nitrogen  will  drive  the  plant  to  vines  rather 
than  squashes.  One  is  not  likely,  however,  to  get 
the  hills  too  rich  with  rotted  manure,  or  compost. 
In  England,  vines  are  started  right  in  the  great  heaps 
of  dressing,  and  produce  wonderful  crops.  A  half 
barrow-load  is  not  too  much  for  a  hill,  if  the  earth 
is  poor.  If  commercial  fertilizer  must  be  used, 
mix  two  handfuls  in  the  hill.  Get  some  ground  bone 
at  the  butcher's  and  mix  in  a  pound  of  that  a  little 
later  as  the  plants  are  starting. 

The  surest  way  of  getting  a  quick  start  is  to  bring 
the  hill  up  to  a  level  with  the  surrounding  soil  and  see 
that  the  dressing  is  well  mixed  in  and  trodden  down. 
Then  scatter  a  dozen  seeds  _ over  the  spot  and  sift 
half  an  inch  of  soft,  light  loam  above  them.  Make 
this  firm  and  sift  a  thin  dust  mulch  above  it.  If  a 
heavy  rain  comes  before  the  seeds  have  sprouted, 
it  will  be  likely  to  pack  down  and  crust  over  this 
dust  mulch.  In  that  case,  sift  another  dust  mulch 
over  the  surface  of  the  hill  to  keep  it  soft  and  moist. 

Culture.  — When  the  sprouts  appear,  they  should 
be  gradually  thinned  out,  leaving  not  over  two 
strong  plants  to  a  hill. 


192  GARDEN  STEPS 

Keep  the  earth  about  the  hills  well  stirred,  till  it  is 
covered  with  the  foliage.  After  that  the  weeds  which 
struggle  to  the  light  can  be  easily  pulled  out  by  hand. 

As  the  blossoms  appear,  remember  that  on  this 
plant,  as  on  the  cucumber,  there  are  male,  or  stam- 
inate  blossoms,  which  bear  no  fruit.  These  are  the 
flowers  that  appear  on  the  long  stems.  The  female 
blossoms  must  be  fertilized  by  the  pollen  from  these 
before  they  produce  fruits. 

Watch  the  squashes  as  they  develop.  They  must 
be  gathered  before  the  skin  and  seeds  get  hard. 
It  is  not  easy  to  judge  by  the  size,  as  some  ripen 
before  they  have  grown  very  large.  Try  them  with 
the  thumb  nail.  If  the  skin  is  too  hard,  it  will  re- 
sist the  pressure.  Such  squashes  should  be  cut  off 
and  discarded,  for,  if  left  on  the  vines,  they  will 
draw  greatly  on  the  roots  for  nourishment  to  ripen 
their  seeds. 

As  summer  squashes  demand  a  good  deal  of  water, 
a  practical  method  for  the  home  or  school  garden  is 
to  plant  four  hills  in  a  square,  four  feet  apart.  An 
old  pail  or  keg,  with  holes  in  the  bottom,  may  be 
sunk  in  the  center  of  the  square  and  filled  with  water 
during  dry  weather.  This  supplies  the  moisture 
from  below  and  draws  the  roots  down  toward  the 
cool,  moist  subsoil.  Summer  squashes  thus  wa- 
tered, if  they  are  well  nourished,  and  if  none  are 
allowed  to  ripen,  will  keep  on  producing  good  fruit 
till  killed  by  a  heavy  frost, 


SQUASH 


193 


WINTER  SQUASH 

Varieties.  —  In  the  northern  states,  the  Hubbard 
squash  is  planted  more  than  all  others  for  winter 
use.  This  is  offered  in  various  strains.  It  is  hardy, 
produces  heavy  crops,  and  keeps  well  all  winter.  It 


HUBBARD  SQUASH 

is  of  excellent  quality,  both  for  eating  as  a  vegetable 
and  for  making  pies. 

In  the  southern  belt  the  Hubbard  squash  does  not 
seem  to  thrive  in  many  locations,  and  there  the 
Boston  Marrow  is  largely  favored.  It  grows  and 
fruits  quickly,  seems  to  enjoy  hot,  humid  climates, 
and  keeps  well.  The  squashes  are  heart-shaped  and 
colored  a  warm  orange  red.  The  flesh  is  deep  yellow 


194  GARDEN  STEPS 

and,  while  not  so  thick  as  the  Hubbard,  is  of  excel- 
lent quality. 

Planting. --Winter  squash  does  not  need  early 
planting,  except  in  the  northern  states.  It  is  de- 
sirable to  have  the  crop  maturing  as  cold  weather  ap- 
proaches, as  it  is  not  easy  to  keep,  through  the  win- 
ter, squashes  which  have  ripened  during  hot  weather. 
Moreover,  the  late  planted  squash  makes  more 
rapid  growth,  and  is  better  able  to  overcome  insect 
enemies,  which  become  less  troublesome  as  the 
season  advances. 

In  all  except  the  northern  states,  winter  squash 
may  be  planted  as  late  as  the  first  of  July,  with 
good  chances  for  a  crop.  Land  where  early  crops 
have  been  grown  may  thus  be  used  for  winter 
squash.  The  hills  should  be  prepared  as  for  sum- 
mer squash,  but,  as  the  vines  run  twenty  or  thirty 
feet,  the  hills  must  be  six  or  eight  feet  apart. 

It  is  often  suggested  that  squashes  be  planted  in 
the  corn  rows  ;  but  this  is  not  good  practice,  except 
where  the  corn  land  is  extremely  rich.  The  squash 
vine  is  a  greedy  feeder,  and  corn  roots  have  very  good 
appetites  themselves.  To  feed  both  properly  will 
not  be  easy.  Moreover,  the  vines  will  be  in  the  way 
of  the  harrow  as  soon  as  they  get  started.  It  is  much 
better  to  put  the  squashes  by  themselves.  They 
may  be  placed  in  rough  spots  and  odd  corners  where 
fine  cultivation  is  difficult.  If  a  piece  of  land  gets 
beyond  control,  and  weeds  choke  early  crops,  as 


SQUASH  195 

frequently  happens  during  a  wet  spring,  make  the 
hills  and  plant  the  squashes  there.  The  big  squash 
leaves  will  soon  cover  the  ground  and  master  the 
weeds,  producing  a  good  crop,  and  greatly  improv- 
ing the  land  for  the  next  year. 

Culture.  -  -  The  squash  crop  is  easy  to  handle, 
as  there  is  little  to  do  after  the  vines  start,  except  to 
keep  the  ground  well  worked  till  the  leaves  cover  it. 
Plant  ten  or  a  dozen  seeds  in  a  hill  and  thin  out  the 
plants,  leaving  not  over  two.  In  planting  squash, 
put  in  a  few  radish  seeds  also  to  tempt  the  black 
flies  or  striped  beetles  from  the  squash  plants.  If 
these  winged  pests  are  too  numerous,  the  screens 
may  be  used,  as  planned  for  cucumbers.  If  the  soil 
is  rich,  the  big  squash  sprout  usually  grows  quickly, 
in  spite  of  their  attacks. 

If  the  vines  are  running  rather  long,  as  the  growing 
season  advances,  cut  off  the  ends.  This  will  give 
the  fruit  more  strength  for  growth,  and  will  keep  the 
vigor  for  the  new  squashes  rather  than  for  more  vines. 

Gathering  Squashes.  —  Squashes  are  not  hurt 
by  a  light  frost,  but  it  is  just  as  well  to  have  them 
under  cover  when  frost  is  expected.  Cut  them  from 
the  vines,  leaving  the  stem  of  the  squash  in  its  place. 
Do  not  cut  it  shorter  than  three  inches.  They  may 
then  be  placed  on  a  sunny  piazza  for  a  week  or  two. 
Throw  an  old  blanket  over  them,  if  the  night  promises 
much  frost.  Then,  when  the  fires  are  started  in  the 
house,  put  them  in  a  dry,  warm  place  where  they  can 


196  GARDEN  STEPS 

have  plenty  of  air.  A  cellar  usually  is  not  suitable, 
though  if  it  is  dry  and  airy,  it  may  do.  Placing 
them  in  a  back  room  over  the  kitchen  or  in  the  attic 
of  a  well-heated  house  should  preserve  them  in  good 
condition  the  winter  through. 

ENEMIES 

There  is  no  general  disease  which  is  likely  to  attack 
the  squash  vine.  If  a  humid  spell  in  certain  localities 
tends  to  develop  wilt,  a  light  spraying  of  Bordeaux 
would  be  required. 

The  Vine-Borer.  -  -  There  is,  however,  a  worm, 
the  vine-borer,  now  prevailing  in  many  parts  of  the 
country,  that  makes  squash  culture  a  precarious 
task  unless  the  greatest  care  is  taken  to  fight  it. 
The  vine-borer  has  not  as  yet  reached  the  northern 
states  in  numbers,  but  seems  to  be  on  its  way. 
The  grubs  live  in  the  soil  and  do  not  make  themselves 
known  till  the  plant  is  well  started  and  full  of  promise. 
Then  the  leaves  wilt,  yellow  spots  appear,  and  in  a 
few  days  the  luxuriant  vine  lies  dying  on  the  ground. 
A  close  examination  of  the  stem  down  near  the  earth 
will  disclose  a  small  hole.  If  you  slit  the  stem  above 
this  hole,  you  will  probably  find  the  whitish  worm  in 
the  tunnel  he  has  made.  He  cuts  across  the  veins 
of  the  plant  and  sucks  out  the  sap  as  it  comes  from 
the  roots. 

This  pest  is  especially  dangerous  to  the  vines, 
because  it  is  usually  too  late  when  he  is  detected. 


SQUASH  197 

However,  it  is  possible  to  grow  the  vines  in  spite 
of  the  vine-borer,  if  care  is  taken. 

If  this  enemy  is  numerous  in  your  locality,  pre- 
pare for  him  before  you  see  him.  Camphor,  or  black 
pepper,  sprinkled  about  the  roots  of  the  growing 
plant  while  it  is  still  small,  will  tend  to  drive  him 
away.  Supplement  this  precaution  by  a  good  deal 
of  arsenate  of  lead,  or  Pyrox  spray,  with  the  hand 
sprayer,  when  you  are  spraying  cucumbers  and  other 
plants.  Put  this  spray  all  round  the  stem,  close 
down  by  the  roots.  It  will  kill  the  worm  before  he 
has  done  much  harm,  if  he  tries  to  eat  his  way 
through  it.  Later  on,  the  flies  developed  from 
these  grubs  evidently  lay  their  eggs  at  spots  along 
the  vines  near  the  juncture  of  the  leaf  stems. 
These  eggs  soon  hatch,  and  the  grubs  work  in  from 
these  spots.  Fortunately,  however,  if  the  vine  is 
well  nourished,  it  will  by  this  time  be  so  large  that 
these  late  grubs  cannot  kill  the  plant. 

If,  in  spite  of  this  care,  the  vine  suddenly  begins 
to  wilt,  examine  the  stem,  locate  the  hole,  and  slit 
the  vine  just  above  it  with  a  thin  knife.  In  this 
way,  you  can  get  the  slug  and  kill  him.  If  the  vine 
is  not  greatly  wilted,  cover  the  wounded  stem  with 
earth,  and  it  may  recover.  But  if  it  is  too  feeble  to 
save,  and  yellow  spots  have  appeared,  pull  it  out 
and  burn  it.  Kill  every  slug  you  can. 

Beetles.  —  Besides  the  vine-borer,  several  kinds  of 
beetle  attack  squash  vines  ;  but,  as  they  work  usually 


198  GARDEN   STEPS 

on  the  leaves,  they  seldom  do  much  harm.  The 
striped  beetles  which  often  attack  young  leaves 
and  fruit  may  be  kept  away  by  arsenate  spray,  or 
by  tobacco  dust,  sprinkled  on  the  leaves  in  the 
early  morning.  The  large  gray  beetles,  often  called 
squash  bugs,  gather  in  large  groups  beneath  the 
leaves  later  in  the  season.  In  the  morning,  when  the 
beetles  are  cold,  the  leaves  on  which  they  have  con- 
gregated may  be  removed  and  the  beetles  destroyed. 
If  a  shingle  or  piece  of  board  is  laid  on  the  ground 
near  the  vines,  these  bugs  will  creep  under  it  in  large 
numbers  on  cool  nights  and  may  be  killed  in  the 
morning. 

Squashes,  like  most  other  plants,  depend  upon 
sturdy  growth  for  strength  to  overcome  their  enemies. 
If  they  are  weak  and  stunted  through  lack  of  proper 
care,  the  most  anxious  protection  will  hardly  make 
them  a  success.  If  they  have  a  good  start,  and 
plenty  of  nourishment,  they  will  overcome  their 
foes  and  ripen  their  fruits. 

PUMPKINS 

Pumpkins  have  the  general  habits  of  the  winter 
squash,  but  require  very  little  care.  They  arc 
easily  planted  by  dropping  a  few  seeds  here  and 
there  among  the  late  corn.  They  are  quick  to 
grow,  seeming  to  draw  little  nourishment  from 
the  soil,  and  requiring  hardly  any  help  to  ripen  a 
full  crop. 


SQUASH  199 

Kind  to  Choose.  -  -  There  are  several  varieties  of 
pumpkin,  but  most  of  them  are  not  properly  garden 
plants,  as  they  are  better  fitted  for  stock  feed  than  for 
human  beings.  The  small  sugar  pumpkins,  however, 
make  good  pies  and  are  much  esteemed  in  that  form 
by  many.  The  Winter  Luxury  is  a  pumpkin  of  this 
type  that  is  well  recommended. 

Planting.  —  It  would  hardly  seem  wise  to  give 
much  space  in  the  small  garden  to  the  pumpkin, 
but  usually  there  are  hills  of  sweet  corn,  here  and 
there,  which  do  not  get  well  started.  A  few  pumpkin 
seed,  four  or  five,  planted  half  an  inch  deep  at  such 
places,  will  grow  well  and  will  not  take  up  valuable 
room.  Leave  the  two  best  plants  after  they  are  well 
started,  and  pull  out  the  rest. 

Pumpkins  have  no  enemies  that  trouble  them 
much,  and  are  picked  and  stored  in  the  same  way 
that  squashes  are  handled. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

SPINACH 

Varieties.  --Various  names  are  given  to  varieties 
of  spinach,  which  are  much  the  same  in  growth  and 
characteristics. 

All  Season  spinach  is  especially  recommended, 
because  of  its  tendency  to  keep  fresh  and  tender 
without  going  to  seed,  during  hot  weather.  It  grows 
close  to  the  ground  and  has  heavy,  crumpled  leaves 
of  the  best  quality. 

Victoria  is  another  type  which  remains  in  good 
condition  for  some  time  without  going  to  seed. 
It.  has  the  "  savoy  "  leaf,  and  is  much  esteemed  for 
its  excellent  flavor. 

Perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  variety  for  the 
home  garden  is  New  Zealand  spinach.  Other  types 
ripen  so  that  the  whole  crop  must  be  gathered  to  keep 
it  from  going  to  seed,  but  New  Zealand  spinach 
sends  out  large  shoots,  or  branches,  which  may  be 
nipped  off  from  time  to  time.  When  the  plant  is 
trimmed,  it  promptly  sends  out  new  shoots,  keep- 
ing up  a  rapid  growth  all  summer  long.  The 
end  stems  and  leaves  are  soft  and  fleshy,  but  the 


SPINACH  201 

thicker  stems  should  be  discarded  as  the  hot  weather 
comes  on. 

Cultivation.  --In  regions  where  the  winter  is 
not  especially  severe,  spinach  may  be  planted  in  the 
fall.  The  young  plants  are  covered  lightly  with 
straw  or  other  light  litter  and  are  ready  to  make 
rapid  growth  as  soon  as  the  ground  melts  in  the 
spring. 

Prepare  the  ground  thoroughly  and  enrich  it  well. 
Barnyard  dressing  is  especially  valuable  for  spinach. 
Sow  the  seed  in  rows  about  a  foot  apart,  possibly 
a  little  more.  The  seed  sprouts  well  and  should  not 
be  sown  thicker  than  two  or  three  to  the  inqh. 

As  the  plants  get  an'  inch  or  so  high,  thin  out, 
leaving  them  two  inches  apart.  When  these  plants 
have  developed  so  that  they  crowd,  they  should 
again  be  thinned  out,  leaving  them  at  least  four 
inches  apart.  These  plants  are  suitable  for  table 
use.  If  the  plants  grow  well,  they  will  be  crowding 
again  before  long,  and  again  they  should  be  thinned 
out  and  cooked. 

The  larger  sorts,  like  the  New  Zealand  spinach, 
need  plenty  of  room,  at  least  a  foot  each  way.  Never 
let  the  New  Zealand  variety  grow  rank  and  coarse. 
Keep  the  shoots  pinched  back,  whether  you  need 
them  for  the  table  or  not,  otherwise  they  will  soon 
become  tough  and  fibrous. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


TOMATOES 

ONE  of  the  most  profitable  plants  for  the  small 
garden  is  the  tomato.     It  is  easy  to  plant  and  care 

for,  is  free  from  disease, 

and  is  easily  protected 
from  enemies  among  the 
insects  and  worms.  A 
dozen  plants  do  not 
take  up  much  space, 
but,  if  well  developed 
when  set  out,  will  pro- 
vide the  family  with 
plenty  of  tomatoes,  and 
give  them  some  to  can 
besides.  The  green 
tomatoes  left  on  the 
vines  in  the  fall  make, 
when  pickled,  a  great 
addition  to  the  winter 
bill  of  fare.  The  to- 
mato can  be  served  in 
so  many  ways  and  is 
such  a  favorite  vege- 


A  TOMATO  CLUB  GIRL 


202 


TOMATOES  203 

table,  that  it  should  be  chosen  among  the  very  first 
plants  for  the  small  garden. 

KINDS  TO  CHOOSE 

There  are  three  important  kinds  of  tomato,  all 
of  which  are  desirable  in  the  garden  :  the  early 
tomatoes,  represented  well  by  the  Earliana  strains  ; 
the  general  crop  of  red  tomatoes,  among  which  the 
Stone  has  a  very  wide  demand  ;  and  the  Dwarf  Cham- 
pion^ known  as  a  pink  tomato,  a  medium  early. 

Earliana.  —  There  are  many  strains  of  the  Earli- 
ana tomato,  widely  recognized  as  the  best  tomato 
for  an  early  crop.  It  is  of  strong  growth,  resists 
cold  fairly  well,  and  bears  a  very  good  crop  of  excel- 
lent fruit.  The  color  is  bright  red,  the  shape  gen- 
erally good,  and  the  flavor  rather  acid,  but  pleasant. 
It  does  not  bear  very  heavily,  and  the  tomatoes  are 
inclined  to  be  small ;  but  it  is  worth  while  to  have 
some  plants  which  ripen  early. 

If  you  live  in  the  northern  belt  of  the  United  States, 
this  is  the  variety  you  will  have  to  depend  upon 
for  your  main  crop.  Tomatoes  are  hard  to  ripen 
where  the  nights  are  chilly.  The  very  earliest 
strains  are  none  too  hardy  in  the  northern  states, 
where  the  season  is  short  and  cool. 

Stone.  -  -  The  Stone  tomato  has  a  national  repu- 
tation as  a  variety  for  the  general  crop.  It  has  an 
extremely  strong  growth  and  continues  bearing  till 
frost.  The  fruit  is  round  and  smooth,  having  a 


204  GARDEN  STEPS 

good  flavor  and  solid  flesh.  Many  strains  of  the 
Stone  tomato  have  been  developed  to  suit  local 
conditions.  There  is  usually  some  gardener  in 
every  locality  who  has  developed  a  strain  which  gives 
him  great  satisfaction,  and  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
get  your  plants  from  him. 

Dwarf  Champion. -- The  dwarf  tomatoes,  called 
pink  tomatoes  in  the  market,  have  been  gradually 
growing  in  favor,  and  today  are  found  in  almost 
every  state.  Both  the  names  "  dwarf  "  and  "  pink  " 
are  rather  misleading.  The  color  is  not  really  pink 
but  rather  a  dull  crimson.  Neither  the  vines  nor 
the  fruit,  as  the  strains  are  developed  today,  are  by 
any  means  dwarf.  They  class  among  the  largest. 
At  about  the  end  of  the  first  month  out  of  doors  the 
vine  stands  as  a  stiff,  compact  bush,  which  may  be 
the  reason  for  calling  it  a  dwarf. 

As  soon  as  the  fruit  forms,  however,  these  stalks 
will  break  down  and  lie  upon  the  ground  if  they  are 
not  supported,  and  the  vines  will  extend  several  feet 
in  all  directions  from  the  parent  stalk.  These  pink 
tomatoes  are  excellent  for  eating  raw.  They  are 
very  solid  and  cut  into  firm  slices.  The  flavor  is 
much  less  acid  than  that  of  the  red  tomato,  and  on 
this  account  many  people  prefer  the  pink  variety. 

PLANTING  THE  SEED 

Home-Grown  Seeds. --Tomato  seed  from  any 
reliable  house  will  prove  satisfactory.  You  may, 


TOMATOES 


205 


however,  find  some  strain  near  home  which  makes 
you  ambitious  to  plant  that  particular  kind.  There 
are  not  many  cases  where  it  is  advisable  for  the  ama- 
teur to  try  to  save  his  own  seed,  but  the  tomato  is  one 
plant  which  is  easy  to  propagate  successfully  from 
home-grown  seed.  You  can  tell  at  once  which  plant 
is  doing  the  best  for  you,  and  can  pick  the  best  speci- 
mens from  this  plant  for  your  next  crop.  When  the 
fruit  is  fully  ripe,  take  out  the  seed,  soak  it  a  day 
or  so  in  water,  shake  it,  and  clean  it  in  a  sieve, 
spread  it  out  to  dry 
on  a  newspaper,  and 
put  it  away  in  an 
envelope,  plainly 
marked. 

Preparing  a  Win- 
dow Box.  —  It  is 
easy  to  plant  to- 
mato seed  at  home 
or  at  school.  Such 
planting  is  especially 
useful  in  school  to 
stimulate  interest,  as 
this  seed  is  planted 
about  the  last  of 
February  in  the  temperate  belt,  and  it  awakens  the 
thoughts  of  the  children  to  the  spring  that  is  ahead. 
Put  into  a  box,  about  ten  inches  by  twelve  or  fifteen, 
three  inches  of  rich,  light  earth.  This  earth  must 


READY  FOR  THE  FIELD 
A  dozen  Earlianas,  grown  in  window  boxes. 


206  GARDEN  STEPS 

be  prepared  according  to  the  directions  given  in 
the  chapter  on  fertilizer.  Ordinary  earth  from  the 
garden  is  not  suitable.  It  will  be  likely  to  pack 
down  in  the  box,  and  the  seed  will  have  little  en- 
couragement to  sprout. 

Drainage.  —  Be  sure  to  provide  drainage,  so  that 
the  water  will  not  stand  in  the  box.  If  the  joints 
are  water-tight,  holes  must  be  made  in  the  bottom. 
If  care  is  used  in  watering  the  earth,  little  water  will 
run  out;  but  if  the  children  are  to  handle  the  seed 
box,  a  tray  to  catch  the  surplus  water  had  better  be 
provided.  This  may  be  bought  for  the  purpose,  or 
any  flat  pan  will  serve  well  enough.  The  prepara- 
tion of  these  boxes  gives  an  excellent  exercise  for 
the  manual  training  hour. 

Planting.  --  When  the  earth  is  ready,  with  a  match 
make  little  holes  an  inch  apart  and  one  fourth  of  an 
inch  deep.  Into  each  of  these  drop  two  seeds.  This 
should  be  done  about  eight  or  ten  weeks  before  it  is 
time  to  set  the  plants  in  the  garden. 

Transplanting.  --If  two  seeds  sprout  in  the  same 
place,  it  is  wise  to  cut  off  the  smaller  plant,  letting 
one  little  plant  grow  in  each  spot.  When  they  arc 
two  inches  high,  either  transplant  to  a  hotbed  if 
you  have  one,  or  get  another  box  and  set  out  the 
plants  in  the  two  boxes,  two  inches  apart.  Pots 
are  sometimes  recommended  for  this  purpose,  but 
they  make  a  great  deal  more  work  than  a  box  and 
seldom  bring  as  good  results. 


TOMATOES  207 

When  the  young  plants  are  set  out  in  this  way, 
moved  from  their  first  sprouting  place,  the  result  is 
to  strengthen  the  root  growth  a  good  deal,  while 
the  top  is  made  more  stocky  and  shorter.  It  will 
be  an  interesting  experiment  for  the  schoolroom  to 
take  a  plant  which  has  been  transplanted,  wash  the 
earth  carefully  from  the  roots,  and  compare  the  root 
growth  with  that  of  a  plant  which  has  always  grown 
where  it  first  rooted. 

SETTING  OUT  IN  THE  GARDEN 

When  the  leaves  are  half  grown  on  the  maples, 
it  is  time  to  set  the  tomatoes  in  the  open  ground. 
For  these  plants  you  may  use  the  poorer  part  of 
the  garden  plot,  as  tomatoes  do  well  in  sandy  or 
gravelly  soil,  and  it  is  comparatively  easy  to  prepare 
the  soil  about  each  plant  to  suit  its  needs.  As  the  roots 
are  already  well  grown,  the  nice  cultivation  required 
for  the  smaller  plants  is  not  needed  for  tomatoes. 

Preparing  the  Soil.  — With  the  spading  fork,  dig 
holes  about  a  foot  deep  and  two  feet  across,  and 
make  sure  that  the  stones  are  removed.  Then  mix 
a  shovelful  of  well-rotted  dairy  dressing,  or  a  handful 
of  commercial  fertilizer,  thoroughly  with  the  earth, 
as  it  is  put  back  into  the  hole.  Too  much  fertilizer 
will  grow  vines  instead  of  fruit.  See  that  the  soil 
is  well  moistened. 

Paper  Collars.  —  Before  setting  in  the  ground, 
strip  the  lower  leaves  from  the  stalk  and  wrap  a 


208 


GARDEN  STEPS 


piece  of  newspaper  about  four  inches  wide  around 
the  stalk,  just  above  the  root.  The  plant  should  be 
protected  for  at  least  two  inches  above  the  level  of 
the  earth.  This  will  cost  nothing,  will  take  but  a 
moment,  and  will  save  the  plant  from  cutworms, 
which  are  especially  fond  of  young  tomato  plants. 


A  HALF  ACRE  OF  DWARF  CHAMPION  TOMATOES 

The  plants  now  stand  erect  like  potatoes.     In  another  month  they 
will  be  sprawling  on  the  ground. 

Depth  of  Planting.  -  -  The  root  of  the  tomato  plant 
should  be  set  about  four  inches  deep.  Remember 
that  air  is  an  important  element  that  must  get 
freely  to  the  roots  of  most  growing  plants.  If  they 
are  set  too  deep,  the  air  cannot  get  to  them,  and 
growth  is  seriously  hindered.  If  the  stalk  is  over  a 
foot  high  and  inclined  to  be  spindling,  set  it  so  that 
the  root  is  about  four  inches  deep,  and  the  top 


TOMATOES  209 

slants  upward  at  an  angle.  In  this  way  the  stalk 
is  well  covered  and  protected,  though  the  root  is 
not  down  too  deep.  New  roots  will  form  along  the 
slender  stalk  and  give  added  strength  to  the  young 
plant. 

SPRAYING  TOMATOES 

While  you  are  out  with  your  spray  pump  or  pow- 
der box,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  give  the  tomatoes  a  light 
spraying  with  Pyrox  or  some  combination  of  like 
nature.  It  is  not  likely  that  any  serious  attack  will 
be  made  on  the  vines,  but  they  do  at  times  suffer 
from  blight.  The  year  1916  was  very  wet  and 
humid  in  the  East,  and  many  tomatoes  were  hurt 
by  blight  where  blight  had  not  been  known  before. 
The  flea  beetle  also  attacks  the  leaves,  turning  them 
yellow,  and  sapping  the  vine  of  much  strength. 
Then  there  is  a  huge  green  worm  which  will  chew  a 
preposterous  lunch  out  of  a  plant  here  and  there, 
if  there  is  no  poison.  It  is  worth  a  great  deal  to 
know  that  your  vines  are  in  good  health  and  insured. 

VINE  CULTURE 

Supports  for  Tomato  Vines.  -  -  There  are  two 
methods  of  culture  for  tomato  vines  which  give  good 
results  :  tying  to  trellises  or  stakes,  and  allowing 
them  to  run  on  the  ground.  In  some  places,  where, 
the  climate  is  moist  and  hot,  it  will  probably  be 
safest  to  tie  them  to  trellises  or  stakes.  To  do  this, 


2IO 


GARDEN  STEPS 


a  support  of  some  kind 
must  be  provided  for 
the  tomato  to  run 
upon.  Stakes  may  be 
driven  close  to  the 
plant.  Then  one,  two, 
or  three  stalks  may  be 
tied  with  bits  of  tape 
or  rag  strips,  and 
trained  to  climb  up 
the  stake.  This  post 
should  be  strong  and 
at  least  five  feet  high. 
For  general  crops,  at 
least  three  stalks 
should  be  left.  Then 
the  shoots,  which  con- 
stantly start  off  in  all 
directions,  must  be 
trimmed  back  every 
few  days,  leaving  the 
strength  of  the  roots 
to  go  into  the  fruit, 
which  is  growing  along 
the  main  stems. 

A    more   convenient 

way  for  the  ordinary  gardener  is  to  make  a  low  fence 
along  the  row  of  plants,  leave  most  of  the  sprouting 
branches,  and  tie  them  up  to  the  wire  or  laths  which 


TOMATOES,  TRAINED  ox  SMALL 
POLES,  PRODUCE  A  GENEROUS  CROP 


TOMATOES 


form  the  rails  of  the  fence.  Where  two  rows  of  toma- 
toes are  placed  four  feet  from  each  other,  this  fence  may 
be  made  of  pieces  qf  scantling  with  laths  tacked  on. 

Tying  up  Tomatoes  Means  Work.  —  Although 
the  method  of  tying  up  and  trimming  back  the  vines 
appeals  to  many  people  who  grow  tomatoes,  and 
may  be  necessary  in  certain  humid  climates,  it  calls 
for  a  great  deal  of  work  and  attention  when  other 
crops  are  also  calling  for  help.  To  tie  up  properly 
and  trim  even  a  dozen  plants  is  no  small  job  in  the 
hot  midsummer  days. 

Allowing  Plants  to  Run  on  the  Ground.  —  Ex- 
perience in  several  different  states  shows  that  under 
ordinary  conditions  there  is  no  bad  result,  and  much 
advantage,  from  letting  the  vines  run  on  the  ground. 
As  the  branches  grow  out  and  begin  to  drop  to  the 
earth,  give  the  plot  a  thorough  harrowing,  three  or 
four  inches  deep.  Then  sprinkle  lawn  clippings 
about  them  to  form 
a  mulch  and  let  the 
vines  run  at  will, 
moving  the  branches 
so  that  they  do  not 
interfere  with  each 
other. 

As  the  vines  in- 
crease in  length, 
place  pieces  of  sod 
with  the  grass  side 


A  SOD  PLACED  ON  TOMATO  VINES 
CAUSES  THEM  TO  ROOT  AGAIN  AND  IN- 
CREASES THE  CROP 


212  GARDEN  STEPS 

down,  about  fifteen  inches  apart  on  the  vine.  The 
sods  should  be  about  three  inches  wide,  and  six 
inches  long,  just  heavy  enough  f to  hold  the  vine  in 
place.  New  roots  will  form  under  the  sod,  and  the 
vines  will  gain  so  much  added  strength  that  the  crop 
will  be  practically  doubled ;  the  vines  will  thrive, 
even  in  the  long,  dry  spells  which  are  frequently 
encountered  in  August  just  as  the  fruit  is  ripening. 

PICKING 

Do  not  leave  the  fruit  on  the  vines  to  ripen.  It 
is  better  to  pick  it  as  soon  as  it  is  turning  pink  and 
put  it  in  a  dark  place.  If  you  want  the  fruit  as 
soon  as  possible,  have  the  temperature  warm  where 
the  tomatoes  are  kept,  as  warmth  will  ripen  them 
more  quickly.  If  they  are  coming  on  as  fast  as 
needed,  it  is  better  to  keep  them  cool.  A  box  or  a 
drawer  in  the  pantry  answers  well. 

Advantages  of  Ripening  Tomatoes  in  the  Dark.  — 
By  picking  the  fruit  in  this  way  a  good  deal  is 
gained.  As  the  chief  drain  on  a  plant  comes  in 
ripening  the  fruit  and  seeds,  the  more  we  can  save 
it  from  this  drain,  the  greater  strength  it  will  have 
for  developing  the  fruit  left  on  the  vines  and  for 
setting  new  tomatoes.  If  well  cared  for,  the  plants 
will  continue  to  blossom  and  form  fruit  till  checked 
by  the  cold. 

By  gathering  the  fruit  before  it  is  ripe,  you  get  it 
in  better  condition,  for  stray  bugs  or  worms  may 


TOMATOES 


213 


take  a  bite  as  it  gets  riper,  and  a  crack  may  come 
here  and  there. 

Tomatoes  ripen  more  evenly  in  a  dark  place, 
and  the  flesh  is  firmer  as  well  as  more  free  from 
tough  spots  and  streaks.  When  you  have  tried  this 
method  once,  you  will 
not  care  to  use  any 
other. 

Green  Tomatoes.  - 
Watch  the  weather  as 
the  season  for  frost  ap- 
proaches, and  get  the 
green  tomatoes  under 
cover  before  they  get 
nipped.  Then  you  can 
enjoy  ripe  tomatoes 
well  into  the  winter. 
Pick  out  the  small  ones 
and  those  of  poor  shape, 
for  pickle.  The  rest 
should  be  put  in  a 

drawer  or  box  where  they  will  be  cool,  but  not  frozen. 
The  cellar  is  a  good  place,  as  the  temperature  is 
likely  to  be  even  there.  By  the  time  the  last  one 
is  eaten,  it  will  be  almost  time  to  get  out  the  window 
boxes  again  for  the  next  crop. 


GIRLS  ARE  ESPECIALLY  FOND  OF 
TOMATO  CULTURE 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

TURNIPS 

ONE  of  the  easiest  vegetables  to  grow  in  the  home 
or  school  garden  is  the  turnip.  It  is  so  quick  to 
sprout  and  so  rapid  in  growth  that  it  satisfies  the 
demands  of  those  gardeners  who  want  to  see  quick 
returns  for  their  labors.  Turnips  will  grow  on  al- 
most any  soil,  but  the  quality  of  the  crop  will 
vary  according  to  the  soil  where  the  turnips  are 
planted.  If  table  turnips  of  the  best  quality  are 
desired,  have  the  soil  rich  and  fine  as  you  would  for 
any  table  crop.  Quality  depends  on  quick  growth ; 
quick  growth  depends  on  soil  and  culture. 

Kinds  to  Grow. --There  are  several  kinds  of 
turnip  which  do  not  vary  greatly  as  to  flavor.  The 
White  Milan  and  Early  Purple  Top  are  both  flat 
turnips  of  rapid  growth  and  white  flesh.  They  are 
well  suited  for  summer  turnips.  The  Purple  Top 
Strap  Leaf  is  another  white-fleshed  turnip  of  good 
flavor,  a  little  later  in  ripening. 

Beside  the  white,  early  turnips,  there  are  the 
yellow  sorts,  called  Swedes  or  Ruta  Bagas.  These  are 
much  larger  than  the  white  turnips,  usually  have 

214 


TURNIPS  215 

yellow  flesh,  and  are  extremely  solid.  They  keep 
well  through  the  winter  and  are  much  favored  in 
the  north. 

Culture.  —  Turnips  for  immediate  use  may  be 
planted  as  soon  as  radishes  or  beets,  or  when  the 
ground  is  soft  and  mellow.  Those  for  winter  use 
should  not  be  planted  till  July,  as  long  growth  will 
make  them  tough. 

Make  the  ground  soft  and  fine.  If  a  crop  has  al- 
ready grown  there,  add  a  pound  of  commercial 
fertilizer  for  each  twenty-foot  row  and  rake  it  in. 
Sow  the  seed  thinly,  not  more  than  two  to  the  inch. 
It  is  quick  to  sprout  and  of  strong  growth.  In  the 
spring,  plant  it  in  furrows  a  half  inch  deep,  making 
them  a  full  inch  deep  when  the  sun  is  hot  in  July. 

Cultivate  to  keep  the  soil  loose  and  the  weeds  out. 
When  the  plants  are  two  inches  high,  thin  out,  leav- 
ing them  four  or  five  inches  apart. 

The  turnip  family  is  not  likely  to  suffer  from  any 
pest  or  disease. 

When  the  frosty  days  approach,  gather  the  crop 
and  put  it  down  cellar  in  a  cool  spot.  It  keeps  bet- 
ter if  covered  with  light  loam  or  sand.  Frost  does 
not  hurt  turnips,  if  they  are  to  be  used  right  from  the 
ground,  but  they  keep  better  if  untouched  by  frost, 


CHAPTER  XXV 

CANNING  AND  DRYING 

CANNING 

EVERY  family  that  has  a  garden  should  have  a 
simple  canning  outfit  to  go  with  it.  There  is  al- 
ways a  surplus  of  many  crops,  which,  if  they  are  not 
canned,  are  wasted  and  lost.  Food  is  too  important, 
too  costly,  to  allow  a  bit  of  it  to  go  to  waste.  When 
the  simple  methods  of  canning  are  carefully  followed, 
the  vegetables  and  fruits  which  are  put  up  at  home 
are  superior  to  those  offered  in  the  stores.  One 
knows  just  what  goes  into  the  cans  and  has  the 
great  satisfaction  of  making  the  garden  last  the 
year  round. 

The  outfit  needed  for  successful  canning  is  not  ex- 
pensive, and  most  of  the  necessaries  are  found  in  every 
household.  The  use  of  tin  cans  is  not  practicable 
in  the  home.  Tin  cans  cost  a  good  deal  and  may  be 
used  once  only.  They  require  a  special  soldering 
kit,  and  it  takes  skill  to  solder  the  covers  properly. 
Glass  jars  cost  a  little  more  than  tins,  but  they  are 
clean  and  sweet  and  may  be  used  year  after  year. 

216 


CANNING  AND  DRYING  217 

The  cold  pack  method  of  preserving  vegetables  in 
jars  is  so  simple  and  so  sure  of  success,  that  this  is 
recommended  for  all  the  products  of  the  home  or 
school  garden. 

UTENSILS  NECESSARY  FOR  CANNING 

.  The  utensils  needed  for  canning  are  most  of  them 
already  present  in  the  kitchen.  Paring  knives, 
spoons,  measuring  cups,  bowls,  and  kettles  are 
already  at  hand.  A  large  boiling  kettle,  however, 
preferably  of  agate  ware,  holding  at  least  ten  quarts, 
should  be  provided  before  the  season  begins.  Glass 
jars  of  the  lightning  type,  having  glass  covers  that 
snap  on,  are  the  most  desirable  containers.  Pint 
jars  are  large  enough'  for  many  of  the  smaller  fruits 
and  vegetables.  Quart  jars  are  best  for  beets,  to- 
matoes, and  .the  larger  fruits  and  vegetables.  For 
these  jars  new  rubbers  of  good  quality  should  be 
obtained,  It  is  dangerous  to  use  old  or  stiff  rubbers. 

To  fill  the  jars  easily  and  keep  the  contents  in 
good  condition,  get  a  funnel  with  a  wide  mouth, 
which  fits  into  the  top  of  the  jar.  With  this,  all 
small  vegetables  can  be  poured  directly  into  the 
jar. 

Any  utensil  large  enough  to  hold  the  jars,  and 
water  to  cover  them,  will  serve  as  a  boiler,  or  steri- 
lizer. Sterilizers  of  all  sizes  and  prices  may  be 
purchased.  A  wash  boiler  is  frequently  used,  while 
a  galvanized  washtub  is  excellent,  if  provided  with 


21 8  GARDEN  STEPS 

a  cover.     One  tub  set  above  another  will  make  a 
satisfactory  cover. 

In  the  bottom  of  the  sterilizer  a  rack  must  be 
placed,  to  keep  the  jars  from  resting  flat  on  the  bot- 
tom and  coming  into  direct  contact  with  the  heat. 
This  may  be  of  wooden  slats,  or  of  chicken  wire. 
With  a  hook  of  some  kind  to  lift  the  jars  from  the. 
boiling  water,  such  as  a  button-hook,  or  a  wire  fork 
bent  over  at  the  points,  and  a  wire  basket  which 
fits  into  the  large  agate  kettle,  the  outfit  is  complete. 

Jars  Funnel 

New  Rubbers  Bowls 

Spoons  Large  Kettle 

Paring  Knives  •  Wire  Basket 
Measuring  Cups  Sterilizer 

Rack 

GENERAL  METHOD 

Prepare  your  jars  by  washing  them  carefully. 
Be  sure  that  a  new  elastic  ring  to  fit  each  jar  is  at 
hand.  Be  sure  that  your  covers  fit  all  jars  before 
you  fill  them.  Place  the  sterilizer  on  the  stove,  with 
water  enough  to  nearly  cover  the  jars,  and  let 
this  water  be  warming  while  you  prepare  the  mate- 
rial to  be  canned.  Be  sure  that  the  different  tools 
needed  are  on  hand. 

String  Beans.  —  Have  the  beans  as  fresh  as  pos- 
sible, and  take  every  precaution  to  have  them  young 


2ly 


220  GARDEN  STEPS 

and  tender.  Tough  fibers  are  very  noticeable  in 
string  beans  when  they  are  canned.  Wash  them 
thoroughly.  Beans  may  be  canned  whole,  but  most 
families  will  find  it  more  convenient  to  cut  them  in 
pieces,  ready  to  serve  direct  from  the  cans. 

Boil  the  beans  in  the  large  kettle  for  fifteen  min- 
utes. While  they  are  boiling,  warm  the  jars  in 
warm  water  and  place  them  near  at  hand. 

Pour  off  the  boiling  water  from  the  beans  and 
rinse  them  in  cold  water  in  the  wire  basket.  Then 
pack  them  into  the  jars.  Shake  down  well  and 
fill  to  the  top. 

Add  one  level  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  each  quart 
jar,  one  half  teaspoonful  to  each  pint. 

Fill  the  jars 'with  boiling  water,  remembering  that 
the  glass  must  be  warm  when  the  boiling  water  is 
poured  in. 

Put  the  rubber  ring  in  place  and  set  the  cover  on 
the  jar.  Draw  up  the  upper  wire  across  the  cover 
to  hold  it  in  place,  but  do  not  snap  the  spring  wire 
down. 

Put  the  jars  in  the  sterilizer  and  boil  an  hour  and 
a  half. 

After  an  hour  and  a  half  of  boiling,  take  the  jars 
from  the  boiler,  snap  the  cover  springs  down,  and 
stand  them  upside  down  to  cool.  Be  sure  they  do 
not  stand  in  a  draft  while  cooling. 

The  jars  may  be  tested  next  day  to  see  if  they  are 
perfectly  sealed.  Loosen  the  spring  and  raise  the 


CANNING  AND  DRYING  221 

jar  by  the  cover.  If  the  cover  loosens,  examine  the 
jar  and  rubber  and  try  to  make  a  perfect  seal.  These 
beans  should  be  sterilized  twenty  minutes  before 
snapping  the  spring  again. 

Store  the  jars  in  a  dark,  cool  place,  free  from  frost. 
If  you  put  them  in  the  pantry,  be  sure  to  think  of 
the  jars  if  the  family  leaves  home  in  the  winter.  If 
the  furnace  fire  goes  out  they  will  freeze  and  burst. 
The  cellar  is  the  safest  place. 

Tomatoes.  —  Select  ripe,  sound  tomatoes,  and 
scald  about  two  minutes  to  loosen  the  skin.  Dip 
in  cold  water  to  arrest  all  further  cooking,  remove 
the  core  and  skin.  Many  recipes  advise  packing 
tomatoes  whole.  They  will  always  shrink  in  the 
jars  while  sterilizing,  if  packed  whole,  and  leave  a 
space  at  the  top  of  the  jar.  It  will  probably  be 
found  better  to  mash  them  into  the  jar.  Add  one 
teaspoonful  of  salt  to  each  quart  jar,  and  fill  the 
space  in  the  jar  with  tomato  juice  obtained  by 
crushing  and  straining  the  inferior  tomatoes.  Pro- 
ceed as  directed  under  beans,  boiling  about  twenty 
minutes. 

Asparagus.  —  Cut  the  stalks  to  fit  the  jars  and 
proceed  as  directed  under  beans.  Boil  one  hour. 

Beets  and  Carrots.  —  Wash  them  clean,  boil  ten 
minutes,  remove  the  skins,  and  treat  them  the  same 
as  beans.  Boil  one  hour  and  a  half. 

Cauliflower.  —  Remove  the  solid  head  and  sepa- 
rate the  small  sections.  -Place  them  in  cold  water 


222  GARDEN  STEPS 

for  a  half  hour  to  make  them  crisp.  Boil  five  min- 
utes, dip  in  cold  water,  and  place  in  jars  the  same  as 
beans.  Boil  one  hour. 

Corn.  —  Boil  the  ears  ten  minutes.  Dip  in  cold 
water.  Then  cut  the  corn  from  the  cob.  Do  not 
pack  the  jars  quite  full,  as  corn  is  likely  to  swell. 
Fill  the  jar  with  boiling  water.  Salt  as  for  beans 
and  all  vegetables.  Boil  three  hours. 

Spinach,  Chard,  and  Other  Greens.  —  Wash  the 
greens  thoroughly  in  plenty  of  water  and  boil  in  the 
large  kettle  for  fifteen  minutes.  Pack  tightly  into 
the  jars,  add  salt,  and  hot  water  to  fill  the  jar  com- 
pletely. For  the  rest,  proceed  as  directed  under 
beans,  and  boil  one  hour. 

Peas.  —  Shell,  and  can  by  the  same  method  used 
for  beans,  but  do  not  fill  the  jars  quite  full  of  peas, 
as  they  swell  in  cooking. 

DRYING 

A  great  deal  is  being  written  and  said  at  present 
about  drying  vegetables  instead  of  putting  them  up 
in  cans  or  glass.  It  should  be  remembered  in  this 
connection  that  drying  is  by  no  means  a  new  idea. 
It  was  formerly  the  chief  method  of  preserving  the 
fruits  and  vegetables  for  winter  use,  and  was  given 
up  almost  entirely  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  country 
when  glass  jars  became  common. 

The  change  from  drying  to  preserving  in  jars  or 
cans  was  not  made  without  good  reason,  and  those 


223 


224 


GARDEN  STEPS 


reasons  are  mainly  as  important  today  as  they  ever 
were.  T*wo  points  are  important  in  preserving  food 
by  evaporation  :  first,  the  food  must  be  dried  thor- 
oughly by  slow,  even  evaporation ;  second,  it  must 
be  kept  free  from  worms  and  insects. 

Drying  by  the  natural  warmth  of  the  sun   and 
air  in  the  eastern  states  is  a  difficult  problem.     Dur- 


DRYING  VEGETABLES  BY  MEANS  OF  AN  ELECTRIC  FAN 

ing  many  weeks  in  the  summer  the  humidity  is 
high,  and  frequent  showers  are  to  be  expected. 
This  means  that  food  must  be  watched,  carried  in 
and  out  from  sun  to  shelter,  turned  over  to  avoid 
sweating,  and  kept  on  hand  for  many  days  before 
it  is  fit  to  store.  The  present  summer  (1917)  has 
seen  quantities  of  food  spoiled  because  of  continued 
damp  weather.  Drying  by  means  of  artificial  warmth 


CANNING  AND  DRYING  225 

in  the  manufactured  dryers  is  much  more  satis- 
factory, but  this  is  cumbersome  in  the  home,  and 
some  drying  outfits  have  been  condemned  by  fire 
commissioners  as  dangerous. 

Keeping  food  free  from  worms  and  insects  during 
the  late  summer  and  fall  months  will  be  found 
equally  difficult.  To  so  protect  food  that  eggs  of 
insects  will  not  be  present  is  practically  impossible. 
To  keep  these  from  hatching,  in  any  states  except 
the  most  northerly  ones,  is  extremely  difficult. 

On  the  whole,  we  should  advise  against  trying  to 
store  much  food  by  the  drying  process  until  a  care- 
ful test  has  been  made  under  different  conditions. 
Full  directions  for  drying  and  storing  various  veg- 
etables under  the  conditions  prevailing  in  different 
locations  can  always  be  obtained  from  local  com- 
mittees. It  is  plain  that  these  conditions  would 
vary  much  in  the  North,  West,  South,  and  East,  and 
instructions  given  without  knowledge  of  local  con- 
ditions would  only  be  misleading. 

The  best  plan  in  most  states  is  to  put  up  food  in 
jars,  sealed  until  needed.  The  flavor  is  always  much 
better,  no  further  preparation  is  needed  at  the  time 
the  food  is  wanted  for  the  table,  the  work  is  usually 
about  one  half,  and  the  danger  from  spoiling  is  less 
than  half.  Drying  in  the  far  West  and  in  other 
states  with  proper  climatic  conditions,  will  prove  use- 
ful, but  elsewhere  canning  methods  will  be  preferred. 


SEED    REQUIRED   FOR   A   FIFTY-FOOT   ROW 

Asparagus,  one  ounce. 

Beans  (dwarf),  one  pint. 

Beans  (pole),  one  half  pint. 

Beets,  one  ounce. 

Brussels  sprouts,  one  fourth  ounce  or  less ;  one 
ounce  grows  about  5000  plants. 

Cabbage,  one  fourth  ounce.  If  planting  outdoors, 
about  twice  as  many  should  be  used  as  in  seed  bed. 

Carrot,  one  half  ounce. 

Cauliflower,  one  tenth  ounce. 

Celery,  one  sixth  ounce. 

Corn,  one  fourth  pint. 

Cucumbers,  one  ounce  to  fifty  hills. 

Kohl-rabi,  one  fourth  ounce. 

Lettuce,  one  sixth  ounce. 

Onion  seed,  one  fourth  ounce. 

Onion  sets  (small),  one  quart. 

Parsnips,  one  fourth  ounce. 

Peas,  one  pint. 

Peppers,  one  tenth  ounce. 

Potatoes,  two  quarts. 

Pumpkins,  one  ounce,  enough  for  garden  use. 

Radish,  one  half  ounce. 

Spinach,  one  half  ounce. 

Squash,  one  ounce,  enough  for  garden  use. 

Tomato,  one  ounce  of  seed  will  produce  at  least  3000 
plants.  Two  dozen  plants,  enough  for  the  or- 
dinary garden. 

Turnip,  one  fourth  ounce. 

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